title: Computational Analysis of the Reacting Flow in the Catalyst Coating of a Reformer Using a Multiscale Approach

contributor:
Peppley, Brant A.
Pharoah, Jon G.
Chemical Engineering

subject:
Multiscale Analysis
Catalyst
Hydrogen
Reactor

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-30 14:42:04.617

abstract: This research presents a multi-scale analysis of the transport and reaction processes in the catalyst coating of a reformer to optimize the catalyst coating microstructure for methane steam reforming. A multi-scale methodology is developed to incorporate and analyze the effect of the catalyst coating morphology on the performance of a wall-coated reformer, based on hypothetical catalyst structures generated using an in-house particle packing code. The results show the significant effect of intra-particle and inter-particle porosity as well as particle size on the rate of hydrogen production in the coating. This study also shows that an optimal catalyst coating has decreasing porosity along the reformer length based on the difference in the degree of diffusion limitation. The results of the multi-scale analysis based on random particle packing are compared with the analysis based on the real catalyst coating pore structure obtained from nano- and micro-computed tomography. The comparison shows that despite similar morphological characteristics and transport properties, the rate of hydrogen production in the packing of overlapping spheres is higher than the rate in the real catalyst structure. This result also shows that by making a structured catalyst coating with a tailored pore network, the performance of the coating improves significantly. Based on the assumption that a structured catalyst coating can be represented by a random packing of spheres, a systematic parametric study is done using response surface methodology and Latin hypercube design of experiment to optimize the catalyst coating microstructure.

abstract: PhD


title: William Thompson and Anna Wheeler: Equality and Utilitarianism in the 19th Century

contributor:
Lister, Andrew
MacDonald, Eleanor
Political Studies

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

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:
William Thompson
Utilitarianism
Anna Wheeler

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Political Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-05 13:02:43.139

abstract:
This dissertation examines the work of William Thompson and Anna Wheeler in relation to more prominent feminist political theorists of the period.  It argues that, read in light of Thompson and Wheeler’s "Appeal of One Half the Human Race" (Appeal), John Stuart Mill’s "The Subjection of Women" (Subjection) represents a step backward in the history of feminist political thought. Mill’s "Subjection" reproduces many of the limitations in Mary Wollstonecraft’s groundbreaking "Vindication of the Rights of Woman" (Vindication), limitations that had been overcome by Thompson and Wheeler’s "Appeal", which was published in between the publication of "Vindication" and "Subjection".  These limitations center on the relationship between women’s access to self-government and happiness, the economy, and the lack of compensation for domestic and reproductive labor. Unlike "Appeal", "Vindication" and "Subjection" limit women’s freedoms by maintaining women’s obligations to perform unpaid labor within the private sphere.  "Vindication" and "Subjection" are unable to recognize women’s biological difference without reducing women’s role to that difference.
Thompson and Wheeler resolve the tension between capitalism and gender equality by making the case for radically democratic communities of mutual co-operation, where all useful labor, including reproductive labor, is compensated.  They use utilitarianism to advance this argument, but some contemporary scholars describe them as conservative utilitarians. I argue to the contrary, that because Thompson and Wheeler’s utilitarianism is ‘indirect’ and is informed by both a rich account of the self and a relational understanding of happiness, that it is not incompatible with arguments for greater social and economic equality.

abstract: PhD


title: Patterns of Use and Comparative Safety of New and Old Anticholinergic Medications in Older Adults: a Population-Based Study

contributor:
Gill, Sudeep
Ouellette-Kuntz, Hélène
Community Health and Epidemiology

subject:
Pharmacoepidemiology
Drug Safety

abstract: Thesis (Master, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2015-07-30 20:38:24.491

abstract:
Overactive bladder (OAB) and urge urinary incontinence (UUI) are conditions that affect 12 – 18% of Canadians and that grow increasingly common with age. Patterns of use and comparative safety of six anticholinergic medications used to treat OAB and UUI were examined. Two of these medications (oxybutynin, tolterodine) have been included for many years on the provincial drug formulary, while the other four (solifenacin, darifenacin, trospium chloride, fesoterodine) have only recently been listed with conditions as “limited use” (LU) products. Acute urinary retention is a possible adverse outcome associated with these medications and was the outcome selected for the analysis of comparative safety.

Participants were patients from Ontario between 66 and 105 years of age who received a new prescription for one of the bladder anticholinergic medications listed on the formulary between December 15, 2011 and December 31, 2013. A retrospective cohort design was used.

Patients who were new users of any of the six bladder anticholinergic medications were identified from ODB program data. Descriptive statistics were used to assess physician adherence to the LU criteria. These patients were assigned to groups based on the bladder anticholinergic medication they received and the risk of acute urinary retention in new users of each medication was compared. Cox Proportional Hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios to compare the risk of acute urinary retention among new users of each of the newer medications as compared to new users of oxybutynin. Analyses were stratified by sex, as men are known to be at greater risk of urinary retention than women.

Only 10% of patients met the LU criteria for a prior trial of oxybutynin. Among men (but not women), new use of solifenacin, darifenacin, or tolterodine was associated with a reduced risk of acute urinary retention as compared to oxybutynin.

The LU criteria for newer bladder anticholinergic medications do not appear to serve as an effective means of regulating their prescription. Exposure to these medications appears to confer a lower risk of acute urinary retention than oxybutynin in male patients. Further research into other potential adverse effects of these medication is needed.

abstract: I would prefer that the thesis not be made public immediately in order to allow time for publication of the results (as others have access to the databases used) and for further work to be done in the area by my supervisor.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: These Bloody Days: Prison, Treason, and the Birth of Literary Witness in the Poetry of Sir Thomas Wyatt

contributor:
Hanson, Elizabeth
English

subject:
literary witness
trauma and literature
early modern poetry
courtiers
Wyatt, Thomas
early modern imprisonment
early modern treason
Henrician England

abstract: Thesis (Master, English) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-04 15:44:10.036

abstract: This thesis examines the life and work of Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) through the lens of the works he produced within and about his experiences of incarceration on charges of treason under Henry VIII of England (1509-1547). Through a close analysis of contemporary primary documents as well as Wyatt’s poetry, this thesis situates Wyatt’s experiences as a prisoner and writer within the historical context of the political crises of Henry VIII’s reign, exploring what Wyatt’s writing reveals about the changing conceptions of treason and the traumatic experience of imprisonment for a member of the political elite in Henrician England, while also considering how Wyatt’s writing gives rise to a new form of literary witness in the English literary tradition.

abstract: M.A.


contributor:
Little, Margaret
Krull, Catherine
Sociology

subject:
Anti-Poverty
Feminist Political Economy
Welfare Surveillance
Qualitative Interviews
Intersectionality
Biopower
Activist Scholarship
Neoliberalism
Ontario Works
Caseworkers
Surveillance
Anti-Racism
Canadian Welfare State
Resistance
Social Change

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-19 12:42:21.145

abstract: Automating Social Inequality: How Single Mothers and Caseworkers Navigate the Neoliberal Surveillance of ‘Ontario Works,’ 1995–2015 examines the growth and impact of surveillance practices administered by the social assistance program Ontario Works [OW]. The purpose of this dissertation is to show the effects of the “welfare surveillance apparatus” from the perspectives of those receiving OW as well as those administering OW benefits to better understand what it feels like to “live” under the surveillance gaze of the declining welfare state. Surveillance practices within government services correspond with wider neoliberal transformations that have led to increased privatization, downsizing and deregulation, and a reluctance of the state to accept their role to either intervene in the economy and/or mitigate inequalities. By placing OW within the context of the international phenomenon of neoliberalism, I contend that it this political philosophy and practice that has altered the administration and purpose of Ontario’s social assistance programs over the past twenty years. In order to economize and undermine state aid, surveillance has become normalized under neoliberal governments that are fixated on meeting targets, quotas and timelines, while the needs of recipients of the services and frontline workers are rarely (or inadequately) calculated in changing policies. However, the significance of welfare surveillance has largely escaped academic inquiry. This study, the first of its kind in Canada, expands upon a small body of literature that examines surveillance practices of government-funded programs such as social assistance. Building upon leading scholars in the field, this dissertation suggests the importance of unearthing the political, economic and moral implications of welfare surveillance, especially upon those “watched” by the state. To tease out these implications, this project employs discourse analysis of the Ontario Works Act 1997 and other primary government documents, alongside 33 qualitative, in-depth interviews with single mothers on assistance, frontline OW caseworkers and anti-poverty activists. Paying close attention to the ways gender, race, class, ability and geographic location create variations in how OW welfare surveillance, discipline and regulation are experienced, this dissertation suggests that a neoliberal agenda has served to exacerbate rather than mitigate contemporary inequalities in Ontario.

abstract: I am publishing my manuscript in a book format.

abstract: PhD


title: Older Federal Inmates: Needs, Institutional Treatment, and Legal Implications

contributor:
Manson, Allan
Law

subject:
Charter rights
Inmates

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Law) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-04 16:54:58.237

abstract:
This thesis is a blend of social science methodology and legal interpretation aimed at investigating the quality of life of older Canadian federally incarcerated offenders and whether their rights are being respected.  For this study I used social science empirical methodology to answer certain legal questions, such as: what are the needs of older male offenders and how are these needs influencing the exercise of their legal rights? Are institutions prepared to deal with the increased needs of older offenders? If no, is this an infringement of this group’s rights? Is the Canadian legal framework broad or specific enough to offer protection to the vulnerabilities of the older male prison population?
 First, I was able to establish a set of acute and chronic needs that older male offenders have. Second, I encountered a series of legal, policy, and institutional limitations in responding to those needs. All these seem to show a diminished quality of life for older male offenders, a profound sense of dehumanization, an erosion of their community ties, and greater fears regarding their release.
Under such circumstances it seems sensible that the CSC approach towards older offenders needs to change. If such change does not come voluntarily, it is the duty of the courts to have a flexible and open-minded approach towards different actions that challenge the current prison regime. A number of legal actions based on statutory and constitutional norms are explored in this dissertation in an attempt to improve the protection of prisoners’ rights in light of the findings presented in this study. I conclude by making three sets of recommendations (legal, policy, and institutional) that could help align the treatment of older inmates with the Canadian societal values, as well as Canada’s international commitments.

abstract: I plan on publishing it as a monograph.

abstract: PhD


title: Essays on Organizational Decline

contributor:
Salterio, Steven
Management

subject:
Management Accounting
Organizational Decline

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Management) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-07 18:30:58.625

abstract: The purpose of this thesis is to understand how organizations manage decline, focusing on the role of management accounting. In the first study, I investigate the role of management accounting in organizations that experience decline. Through a field study in five private sector organizations and one public sector organization, I offer a theory-based explanation for why some organizations use management accounting, while others do not. I find that, when decline arises from discontinuous and unpredictable environmental change, the shock drives organizational members to first convince themselves that their accounting systems and reports can be relied upon and to then use this accounting information to manage decline. In contrast, without any significant discontinuity at the onset of decline, organizational members question the “truth and value” of accounting and, as a result, are not driven to mobilize it to manage decline. In the second study, I conduct additional field work in the public sector organization from the first study to more closely examine how management accounting is used to manage decline and pursue a performance turnaround. I find that leaders actively use management accounting practices to construct an understanding of their organization’s decline through sensemaking and persuade employees to become involved in turnaround efforts through sensegiving. Further, I highlight accountability as an important adjunct to these sensemaking and sensegiving activities. Varied accountability relationships and mechanisms were instituted to discipline the meanings that were constructed and to ensure these meanings were incorporated into organizational decision making and action. In the third study, I empirically test a typology of environmental decline by examining organizations’ behaviours and response strategies during decline. Leveraging the same set of interviews as the first study, I find that leaders’ behaviours and, in particular, their strategic responses and emphasis on efficiency or effectiveness align with the typology. Thus, I highlight that specific details of the environmental change leading to organizational decline have implications for its management. Together, these studies explain the management response to decline and, in particular, show that management accounting is a critical resource for some organizations as their members manoeuvre decline.

abstract: PhD


title: Small Scale Study of the Role of The Muckpile in the Blasting Fumes of Commercial Explosives

contributor:
Katsabanis, Panagiotis (Takis) D.
Mining Engineering

subject:
fume entrapment
blasting fumes
NOx CO
confinement
muckpile

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mining Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-09-28 05:05:29.342

abstract:
Blasting fumes are an important safety topic for the mining industry because toxic fumes are generated by the detonation of explosives.  Prediction of the amount and concentration of blasting fumes is important for underground mines to provide enough ventilation to ensure worker safety.  The production of toxic fumes in open pit mines is a significant hazard to workers and surrounding communities because fumes are easily able to travel from the blast zone with wind.  An important hazard often overlooked is the potential for blasting fumes to remain trapped in the blasted material until it is handled or for the fumes to slowly escape to the atmosphere.
The present investigation into blasting fumes examines the real time concentrations of the fumes produced after detonation using a continual gas analyzer.  The fumes analyzed were nitrogen oxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide. The first set of experiments studied the effect of accepted factors affecting fume production, mainly product formulation and confinement. The second set of experiments simulated fumes travelling through blasted material in an attempt to measure the portion of fumes that remain trapped after detonation and to observe the fume output over a long amount of time.  This improves on previous studies by analyzing the sample continuously throughout the period of concern, instead of obtaining few discrete samples that require offsite analysis.
The results show product formulation and type are major factors of toxic fume production.  Emulsion explosives produced very little toxic fumes and ANFO, no matter the composition, would always produce some amount of toxic fume.  On average, ANFO produced 4.5 times the amount of CO and 7.5 times the amount of NO2 as compared to the emulsion explosive. In the case of ANFO, confinement has a significant effect on toxic fume production. The set of experiments on fume entrapment indicated significant amounts, up to 70%, of blasting fumes are trapped in the muckpile and are released when the muckpile is disturbed, presenting potential health hazards to workers in the area.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Advances in Directed Ortho Metalation: Copper- and Rhodium-Catalyzed Allylic Substitution and the DMG Dance

contributor:
Evans, P. Andrew
Snieckus, Victor A.
Chemistry

subject:
Copper-Catalyzed Allylic Substitution
DMG Dance
7-Azaindole
Directed Ortho Metalation
Rhodium-Catalyzed Allylic Substitution
Hard Nucleophiles

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-13 11:59:40.855

abstract:
Chapter one of this thesis describes preliminary efforts towards the development of the rhodium-catalyzed allylic arylation reaction employing nucleophiles containing ortho-DMGs (directed metalation groups). Unfortunately, a variety of rhodium(I) catalysts and carbonate-based leaving groups screened during the optimization studies were not successful within this reaction, with poor regioselectivity being observed in all cases.
Chapter two describes the optimization and scope of the copper-catalyzed SN2´ allylic arylation reaction using DoM (Directed ortho Metalation)-derived nucleophiles. An air stable and environmentally benign copper(I)-NHC catalyst has been found to facilitate this SN2´ allylic arylation process, forming C−C bonds in a highly regioselective manner. A variety of DMGs and acyclic allylic bromides were tolerated within this reaction, with a single example showcasing its application on the analogous cyclohexene derivative. Preliminary efforts towards the enantioselective variant of this reaction are also described.
Chapter three describes the development and optimization of the DMG dance reaction on the 7-azaindole heterocycle, thus allowing its highly regioselective functionalization via sequential DoM reactions. Excellent C-6 anion formation of 7-azaindole was achieved, with a variety of carbon-based and heteroatom-based electrophiles being well tolerated. Preliminary application of the DoM reaction on L-745870, an antipsychotic agent containing the 7-azaindole skeleton, was successful. Studies towards the synthesis of other potentially bioactive analogues of L-745870 via this methodology are currently ongoing.

abstract: This thesis is to be restricted because there are currently three manuscripts in preparation based on this work, and having the contents released would jeopardize our ability to publish this work.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Caring Places for Dementia: Examining the Continuum of Care in Rural and Small Town Ontario

contributor:
Rosenberg, Mark W.
Geography

subject:
Dementia
Care and Caregiving
Rural Aging

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-06 21:06:03.926

abstract:
This dissertation contributes to the growing body of geographic, gerontological, health, and social science research on community support for persons with dementia and their partners in care with a particular focus on rural and small town settings. Focusing on rural and small town settings as well as the range of sites and services involved in caring for dementia is increasingly important. The bulk of care for dementia is taking place in home and community settings, raising questions about the quality and kind of support available, particularly in rural areas that generally have fewer formal health services and a higher proportion of older people than urban areas. Within the current literature on dementia care in the community, there is evidence of distinct challenges to service provision in rural settings, differences in service use, and unmet care needs. However, both academic researchers and policy makers have generally failed to consider the experiences of the voluntary sector, partners in care, and persons with dementia in rural and small-town settings.
	To address this gap, I examine the continuum of care settings and the suitability of support for those living with dementia and their partners in care in rural and small-town Ontario. I ask: what services are available across the province of Ontario; how do those living with and caring for someone with dementia in rural Ontario experience places of care; and what are their specific needs and challenges over the course of the disease? To answer these questions, I conducted a survey of service-providers (N=20) in the province and carried out semi-structured interviews with persons with dementia and partners in care (N=73). The findings revealed regional variation in service availability and delivery as well as challenges related to service delivery in rural and small town settings. In fact, community support for persons with dementia in rural and small town setting is generally underdeveloped. I analyze the consequences of this underdevelopment for persons with dementia and their partners in care. I conclude with a set of suggestions for improving community care for persons with dementia and their partners in care.

abstract: PhD


title: Three Essays On Asset Bubbles And Contagion Over Financial Networks

contributor:
Bergin, James
Milne, Frank
Economics

subject:
asset bubble
contagion
networks
financial crisis

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Economics) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-07 01:21:38.505

abstract: This thesis studies financial market stability by exploring asset bubbles and contagions over financial markets. First I construct a model where bubbles arise from a lack of common knowledge about the asset value among traders with private information, and I evaluate the effects of capital gain tax and transaction costs on bubbles. I find that capital gains tax has no effect on the size of the bubble when there is a perfect tax credit for capital losses, and the size of the bubble decreases in the tax when there is no tax credit. Therefore dealing with bubbles with capital gains tax not only requires imposing the tax, but also tightening the policies on tax credits. In a simplified bubble model, it can be shown that the model is equivalent to an auction, and bubbles arise for the same reason that bidding prices fail to reveal the true value in that auction. Several experiments on taxes and subsidies are devised to reduce or eliminate bubbles. Then I study the contagion of bankruptcy through downward price pressure among investors with overlapping portfolios. I calculate the probability of an extensive contagion and the expected bankruptcy rate during such a contagion. System-wide contagion happens only when the diversification of portfolios is in a certain range and, in the upper area of that range, the probability of a crisis may be small, but the spread of contagion can be extremely extensive.

abstract: PhD


title: Scorpion Toxin BeKm-1 Prevents Low K+ Induced Internalization of Cell-Surface hERG Channels

contributor:
Zhang, Shetuan
Physiology

subject:
hERG K+ channel
LQTS
Hypokalemia

abstract: Thesis (Master, Physiology) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-07 10:52:03.487

abstract: The human ether-à-go-go related gene (hERG) encoded the pore forming subunit of a K+ channel that conducts an important current for the repolarization of the cardiac action potential. Dysfunction of the hERG channel leads to abnormal cardiac activities characterized by prolongation of the QT interval, clinically known as long QT syndrome (LQTS), which can cause lethal tachyarrhythmias and sudden death. We have previously shown that hypokalemia induces a conformational change that leads to degradation of hERG channels from the plasma membrane (Guo et al., 2009). However, the molecular mechanisms for low K+ effect on hERG channels are not known and it is also unknown whether low K+-induced internalization of hERG channels can be prevented. Using various compounds that interact with hERG channels by binding to different regions of channels has been a field of interest to investigate the channel structure-function relationships. Moreover, certain high affinity hERG channel blockers such as E-4031 can rescue trafficking-detective hERG mutants (Gong et al., 2006). The hERG channel has an unusually long extracellular S5-pore linker to which the scorpion toxin BeKm-1 selectively binds. I hypothesized that the S5-pore linker contributes to the unique sensitivity of hERG channels to extracellular K+, and that BeKm-1 prevents the internalization of hERG channels induced by 0 mM [K+]o through binding to S5-pore linker. In the present study, I investigated the protective effects of the scorpion toxin, BeKm-1, on low K+-induced hERG internalization using whole-cell patch-clamp, and Western blot analysis. Our data demonstrate that BeKm-1 effectively prevents low K+-induced hERG current loss and protein degradation. Since BeKm-1 blocks hERG channels, its protective effect on low K+-induced hERG internalization has limited clinical potential. Thus, we designed ten BeKm-1 mutants to screen for peptides that can prevent hERG from low K+-induced internalization without blocking hERG conductance. Our data show that two mutants were able to rescue hERG channels in 0 mM [K+]o but do not block hERG conductance. This study extends our understanding of the structure-function relationship of hERG channels and revealed a potential novel way to protect hERG channels from low K+-induced internalization.

abstract: Data is in a paper to be published.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: The System of Rice Intensification (SRI): Complicating the global narrative

contributor:
Taylor, Marcus
Environmental Studies

subject:
rice
sustainable
Nepal
System of Rice Intensification
development
SRI
agriculture

abstract: Thesis (Master, Environmental Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-07 14:40:38.084

abstract: The System of Rice Intensification (SRI) developed in Madagascar by French Jesuit and agricultural scientist Fr. Henri de Laulanie in the 1980s has since been propagated to over 50 countries worldwide. By transplanting younger seedlings, increasing the spacing between individual plants, irrigating intermittently and consistently aerating the soil, SRI promises to increase global rice production to twice the 3.7 t/ha currently experienced (Uphoff, 2003). Notwithstanding regional variance (Uphoff, 2003) and contestation of the results (Sheehy et al., 2005), SRI advocates in various countries posit SRI as an agro-ecological innovation that is an alternative to top-down, input-intensive agriculture, yet can greatly expand yields and farm incomes. These properties are argued to be particularly important in a world of rising temperatures and increased demand for foodstuffs. In projecting SRI as a singular solution to current and future constraints upon rice production, however, little attention has been given to its translation and embedding within diverse socio-ecological settings. Given that socio-ecological and political climates vary greatly from region to region, my broad research question uses political agronomy as a theoretical framework to ask:  what social realities are silenced in order to craft a narrative in which SRI can become a universal driver of agricultural development?  Through ten weeks of participatory observation and interviews with farmers, NGO representatives, researchers and extension officers directly involved in SRI in two districts in Nepal’s Terai, (Chitwan and Morang), I was able to observe how SRI is enacted in unique settings. The aim of this project was to understand how SRI practices are institutionalized on the ground and whether broad characteristics lead specific types of farmers to gravitate towards, or be selected for, the adoption of SRI (such as land holdings or access to water and institutional channels such as bank credit and agricultural extension). In asking these questions, this research aims to more adequately assess SRI's suitability as a global agricultural innovation.

abstract: M.E.S.


title: Proteolytic Cleavage of the Kv1.5 Channel in the S1-S2 Linker Does Not Affect Channel Function

subject:
electrophysiology
Voltage-gated potassium channel
Cell-surface protein
Trafficking
Proteolysis
Kv1.5

abstract: Thesis (Master, Physiology) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-11 16:14:30.423

abstract: Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most prevalent human cardiac arrhythmia, is characterized by rapid and disorderly electrical activity in the atria of the heart. Kv1.5 channel mediated ultra-rapidly activating delayed rectifier potassium current (IKur) is critical for timely and adequate atrial repolarization. Since cardiac IKur is specific to the atria, biomedical research surrounding Kv1.5 poses significant promise for developing clinical strategies to treat AF. In fact, loss-of-function mutations in KCNA5 (encoding Kv1.5) have been identified in patients with AF. Importantly, common pathologies, such as selective atrial ischemia, are capable of stimulating the onset of AF. A well-documented consequence of ischemia is a substantial increase in proteolytic enzyme activities. In this regard, it has been reported that cell-surface Kv1.5 channels are sensitive to cleavage by extracellular proteases, such as proteinase K (PK). In this study, we further examined the effects of extracellular proteases on the function and expression profile of Kv1.5 channels stably expressed in HEK 293 cells. Our results demonstrate that PK cleaves membrane-bound mature (75-kDa) Kv1.5 channels at a single locus in the external S1-S2 linker, yielding 42-kDa N-terminal and 33-kDa C-terminal fragments. Contrary to our expectations, whole-cell voltage clamp analysis showed that PK treatment did not affect Kv1.5 current (IKv1.5). Examination of plasma membrane proteins isolated via biotinylation indicated that the N- and C-terminal Kv1.5 fragments were both present and stable on the cell-surface. Co-immunoprecipitation (co-IP) studies following PK cleavage suggest that the two Kv1.5 fragments do not associate. Moreover, the PK-generated N- and C-terminal fragments degraded at different rates. These findings indicate that the C-terminal fragment of Kv1.5 (S2-S6, pore-containing) may be sufficient for current conduction. Our data raises the possibility that cleavage of cell-surface ion channels, assessed by Western blot analysis, does not necessarily result in a loss of channel activities. This novel insight into the Kv1.5 structure-function relationship may be indicative of an inherent protective mechanism for Kv1.5 channel function.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Development of Electronic Instrumentation For Computer-Assisted Surgery

contributor:
Fichtinger, Gabor
Morin, Evelyn
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Visual Feedback
Breast Conserving Surgery
Tool Mounted
Computer Assisted Surgery

abstract: Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-12 11:20:18.551

abstract:
In the operating room, feedback, such as instrument positioning guidance provided by surgical navigation systems is typically displayed on an external computer monitor. The surgeon’s attention is usually focused on the surgical tool and the surgical site, so the display is typically out of the direct line of sight. A simple visual feedback mechanism was developed to be mounted on the surgical tool. This feedback is within the surgeon’s direct line of sight and alerts the surgeon when it is necessary to look at the monitor for detailed navigation information. The combination of visual feedback with the surgical navigation system is designed to aid the surgeon in cutting around a tumor, maintaining negative margins, while reducing the amount of healthy tissue contained within the cut. The tool-mounted visual feedback device was designed to be light-weight, compatible with electromagnetic (EM) tracking, and pose no risk of galvanic connection to the patient. The device was tested through the resection of multiple tumor contour models using computer navigation screen only, and computer navigation screen with visual feedback mounted on the surgical tool. Use of the device was shown to decrease the amount of healthy tissue contained within the surgical cut, and to increase the subjects’ confidence in their ability to follow acceptable margins.
The second objective of this work is to develop a system to both spatially and temporally track electrosurgical instruments, within the surgical navigation system. In order to temporally track the tools, it is important to know when the electrosurgical unit is powered on. However, electrosurgical instruments are FDA and Health Canada approved and therefore cannot be interfered with. Thus, a non-invasive method of sensing when the tool is powered on is required. Two AC current sensors, two peak detector circuits, and one voltage comparator circuit were used to detect when an electromagnetically tracked electrosurgical cauterizer is being powered on and differentiate between the cut and coagulation modes when cauterizing different substances. This can be integrated into the existing surgical navigation system through the use of an Arduino Uno microcontroller.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: The Effect of Leukotriene Modifiers (LTMs) on Organic Anion Transport by Multidrug Resistance Proteins (MRPs)

contributor:
Cole, Susan P. C.
Pharmacology and Toxicology

subject:
Multidrug resistance proteins
Leukotriene receptor antagonists

abstract: Thesis (Master, Pharmacology & Toxicology) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-12 18:42:15.398

abstract: The multidrug resistance proteins (MRPs) are plasma membrane efflux transporters that transport a diverse array of compounds. MRP1, MRP2, MRP3 and MRP4 are considered the most pharmacologically relevant drug-transporting MRPs and have broad substrate specificities that include many xenobiotics (e.g. pharmacological agents, environmental toxins), endobiotics, and their metabolites. Although MRP1-4 have distinct substrate profiles, they can all transport glucuronide conjugated estradiol (E217βG). MK-571 was originally designed as a type 1 cysteinyl leukotriene receptor (CysLT1R) antagonist to treat asthma; it is also the most popular MRP1 inhibitor. However, MK-571 is non-selective and inhibits all MRP homologues as well as at least one solute carrier transporter, limiting its usefulness as an experimental tool. Additional leukotriene modifiers (LTMs) selective for either CysLT1R or the type 2 cysteinyl leukotriene receptor (CysLT2R) have been developed but little is known of their ability to modulate MRP1 and its homologues. In this study, seven LTMs selective for either CysLT1R or CysLT2R were examined for their ability to modulate E217βG uptake into MRP1, MRP2, MRP3, or MRP4-enriched membrane vesicles. Their effect on the uptake of a second physiological organic anion was also measured for MRP1 (leukotriene C¬4; LTC¬4) and MRP4 (prostaglandin E2; PGE2). For E217βG, the IC50 values of the 7 LTMs tested ranged from 1.2 to 26.9 μM and the IC50 values for MRP1 and MRP4 were the most similar. In contrast, some LTMs stimulated MRP2 and MRP3 activity. Thus, LY171883 stimulated MRP2 and MRP3-mediated E217βG uptake by 2 to 4-fold while montelukast and pranlukast modulated MRP2 activity in a biphasic manner. CysLT1R-selective LTMs were generally less potent as modulators of MRP2 and MRP3 activity although CysLTR selectivity did not correlate with LTM potency for MRP1 and MRP4. The rank order of LTM inhibitory potencies for E217βG versus LTC4 uptake by MRP1 and E217βG versus PGE2 uptake by MRP4 were similar. These data suggest that, like MK-571, LTMs are generally non-selective modulators of MRP transport activity despite their CysLTR selectivity, and should therefore be used with caution in MRP-related research because of their potential to confound data interpretation.

abstract: Waiting for publication to be accepted before releasing thesis

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Journeys Into the Winter Wilderness: an Exploration of the Traditional Winter Camping Experience

contributor:
Adams, Mary Louise
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
Wilderness Camping
Winter Camping
Wilderness Travel

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-19 20:42:42.425

abstract: This thesis reports on a phenomenological study designed to examine the traditional winter camping experience from the perspective of the participant. The specific research questions that guided this study were: (a) What are the personal meanings that traditional winter campers attach to their experiences? (b) What factors led to their decision to take up the activity of traditional winter camping? (c) How has participation in traditional winter camping affected changes in their own attitudes towards nature, wilderness travel, personal identity and feelings of self-reliance? and (d) What are the unique learning outcomes that could be achieved by including traditional winter camping activities as part of outdoor education experiences? The participants in this study were eight people who regularly participate in traditional winter camping activities. I conducted semi-structured interviews with them in order to discover the attachments, significant aspects and personal meanings that they see in relation to their traditional winter camping experiences. Analysis of the data revealed three core themes that were central to the experiences of traditional winter campers. These are: connection to the land, sense of community, and personal empowerment. The findings suggest that participation in traditional winter camping activities may have an impact on physical, mental and social well-being, and may help to foster pro-environmental attitudes. The thesis research also illuminated unique aspects of this activity and participants’ experiences. Suggestions for continued research are described, which may provide further insight into this phenomenon.

abstract: M.A.


title: A Multi-wavelength Investigation of the Gas-rich Dwarf Galaxy Populations of Three Interacting Groups: NGC 3166/9, NGC 871/6/7 and NGC 4725/47

subject:
Galaxy interactions
Dwarf galaxies

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-13 15:13:00.186

abstract: This thesis presents one of the first unbiased investigations of the first- and second-generation gas-rich dwarf galaxy populations of nearby interacting groups.  Individually, these low-mass objects offer information about the evolutionary history of their respective groups.  Collectively, the multi-wavelength dataset presented here enables direct comparison of the properties and prevalence of gas-rich dwarfs to those predicted by numerical simulations, particularly the tidal objects.  Starting with HI maps from the blind Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA survey (ALFALFA), three nearby groups: NGC 3166/9, NGC 871/6/7 and NGC 4725/47 were selected for high-resolution HI follow-up and deep optical imaging.  Observations from the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) are able to identify and resolve the HI belonging to the low-mass group members, thereby enabling gas and dynamical mass measurements.  Deep g'r'i'-band optical photometry, from the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) MegaCam, is used to infer the stellar masses, ages and metallicities of putative optical counterparts to these gas-rich detections.  The combination of HI and optical data allows for dynamical to baryonic mass calculations and stellar population estimates that facilitate the distinction between and classification of dwarf irregulars (dIrrs), short-lived tidal knots and tidal dwarf galaxies (TDGs).  Overall, the three groups in this study contain a total of eight spiral galaxies, at least eight dIrrs, four tidal knots (with M_HI ~ 10^7 M_sol) that are likely short-lived, and four tidal knots containing sufficient gas to survive and evolve into long-lived TDGs.  This result implies that there are ~1.3 long-lived galaxy-like tidal features per interacting spiral galaxy pair, which is consistent with standard cosmological galaxy interaction simulations.  The tidal objects examined in this survey also appear to have a wider variety of properties than the TDGs formed in current simulations, which could be the result of pre- or post-formation environmental influences.

abstract: PhD


title: Assessing the Reliability of Multiple-Showup Procedures With a Single Eyewitness

contributor:
Lindsay, Roderick C. L.
Psychology

subject:
Eyewitness
Innocence Risk
Scarcity
Showup

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-14 08:44:45.15

abstract: In this program of research I examined the influence of multiple-showup procedures on the reliability of eyewitness identification.  If an eyewitness rejects a suspect from a showup, law enforcement personnel may search for new suspects, and if a new suspect is found, they may run another showup with the same eyewitness.  Law enforcement personnel may go through several iterations of finding suspects and running showups with the same eyewitness for single-perpetrator crimes (Chapter 3, Study 1).  The use of multiple-showup procedures with the same eyewitness increased innocence risk (Clark & Godfrey, 2009), the probability that a suspect was innocent given identification (Chapter 3, Studies 2 and 3).  The increase in innocence risk was primarily attributable to the fact that innocent suspect identifications cumulate when law enforcement personnel use multiple showups in single-perpetrator crimes.  Although pre-showup instructions decreased innocent suspect identifications, innocence risk remained unacceptably high (Chapter 3, Study 4; Chapter 4).  On a more positive note, pre-showup instructions intended to reduce eyewitness’ perceptions of scarcity (belief that they may not have another opportunity to identify the perpetrator) decreased innocent suspect identifications over and above a may-or-may-not be present admonition (Chapter 4).  Scarcity instructions may prove useful in identification procedures, more broadly.  I argue that an identification from a multiple-showup procedure is not reasonable evidence of guilt; however, practical constraints may require that law enforcement personnel sometimes show eyewitnesses more than a single showup.  A stronger partition between investigative and evidentiary procedures is recommended (Chapter 5).

abstract: PhD


title: Jebb's Antigone

contributor:
Griffith, R. Drew
Classics

subject: Jebb Antigone

abstract: Thesis (Master, Classics) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-14 10:33:04.042

abstract:
Abstract
In the introduction, chapter one, I seek to give a brief oversight of the thesis
chapter by chapter.
Chapter two is a brief biography of Sir Richard Claverhouse Jebb, the still
internationally recognized Sophoclean authority, and his much less well-known life
as a humanitarian and a compassionate, human rights–committed person.
In chapter three I look at δεινός, one of the most ambiguous words in the
ancient Greek language, and especially at its presence and interpretation in the first
line of the “Ode to Man”: 332–375 in Sophocles’ Antigone, and how it is used
elsewhere in Sophocles and in a few other fifth-century writers.
In chapter 4 I examine the “Ode To Man” itself, which has caused
considerable academic discussion: Does it belong here? What role does it play in
Antigone? Is it essential to the play?
In chapter five I seek to discover the character of Antigone as Sophocles has
drawn her. She is a fascinating woman, not only in her commitment to burying her
brother Polyneices, but also in the subtleties in her that Sophocles has portrayed.
When it comes to Sophocles, conclusions are most difficult, but I needs but try.
Finally, the two appendices examine first Eglantyne Jebb, Sir Richard’s
i
niece who, with her sister Dorothy, founded “Save The Children,” and last of all,
the “Apostles,” a secret society of Cambridge University of which Jebb was a
member.

abstract: M.A.


title: On the Estimation of Uncertainties and Fusion of Multi-Platform Geodetic Data

contributor: Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering

subject:
Wavelets
GOCE
Variance component estimation
LiDAR
Multi platform geodetic data
Accuracy assessment of topographic data
Digital elevation model
Gravity data fusion

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-14 12:07:44.663

abstract:
The main purpose of this thesis is to explore the synergies that exist between multi-platform geodetic data. Focus is placed on gravity and topography datasets which are obtained from satellite, airborne and terrestrial platforms. The assessment of uncertainties in these datasets is of prime importance in order to identify useful fusion algorithms and models. Today, geodetic satellite and airborne missions are often incorporated as part of observational survey campaigns and produce spatially homogeneous coverage of the Earth’s gravity field and topography. However, the accuracy of the data and the spatial resolution are often inferior compared to data acquired through conventional terrestrial survey methods. Thus, terrestrially-based measurements remain a valuable source of information. In this thesis, fusion of gravity data involves combination schemes, in the measurement domain, of gravity data acquired from satellite, airborne and terrestrial means. The resulting fused gravity-field models are of importance in the fields of geodesy and geophysics, as they enable centimeter-level geoid modeling (essential for accurate GPS-leveling) and improved modeling of the Earth’s crust and lithosphere (important for better understanding geodynamic processes), and aid geological interpretation (important for exploration geophysics).
Uncertainty estimation is twofold and focused on estimating elevation errors in satellite-based digital elevation models (DEMs) and system measurement errors in airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) surveys. The quality of topographic information is useful for reliable quantitative analyses in applications such as hydrology, flood and inundation modeling and multi-temporal topographic elevation comparisons (e.g., erosion monitoring, rockslides and landslides).
The main results of this research include (i) the determination of the relevance of airborne gravity data to fused multi-platform gravity-field models, (ii) the investigation of the role of ground control points for the quality assessment of DEMs, and (iii) the impact of a refined stochastic model for airborne LiDAR measurements in practical applications.
Overall, this research provides a much needed guide on the challenges of working with multi-platform geodetic data measurements and the benefit of identifying the synergies between satellite, airborne and terrestrial platforms, leading to improved fused gravity field models and improved uncertainty estimations of topographic data.

abstract: PhD


title: Regulation of the Human Ether-a-go-go Related Gene Potassium Channel by Neural Precursor Cell Expressed Developmentally Down-regulated Protein 4-2 Interacting Proteins

subject: hERG Ndfip PKC Nedd4-2

abstract: Thesis (Master, Physiology) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-14 13:47:48.917

abstract:
Dysfunction of the human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG)-encoded rapidly activating delayed rectifier K+ channel is a major cause of long QT syndrome (LQTS) due to its critical role in the repolarization of cardiac action potentials. The density of hERG channels on the cell surface, as a key determinant of its regular function, is balanced by channel trafficking to and internalization from the plasma membrane. We have shown that the E3 ubiquitin (Ub) ligase, Nedd4-2 (neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down-regulated protein 4-2), regulates hERG channel degradation by targeting the PY motif in the C-terminus of hERG channels. Interestingly, although a PY motif exists in both the immature (intracellular) and mature (cell-surface) channels, Nedd4-2 selectively degrades the mature hERG proteins. Moreover, Nedd4-2 is modulated by various proteins, such as protein kinase C (PKC). In this work, I investigated the hypotheses that the selective degradation of the 155-kDa hERG channel by Nedd4-2 is achieved by additional Nedd4 family interacting proteins (Ndfips) and that PKC signalling regulates hERG expression and function through Nedd4-2.
Using whole-cell patch-clamp, Western blot, and immunocytochemistry, I demonstrated that Nedd4-2 is directed to specific cellular compartments by Ndfip1 and Ndfip2. Ndfip1 is primarily localized in the Golgi apparatus where it recruits Nedd4-2 to target mature hERG proteins for degradation during channel trafficking to the plasma membrane. Ndfip2 mainly recruits Nedd4-2 to the multivesicular bodies (MVBs), which may impair MVBs function and impede the degradation of internalized hERG proteins. On the other hand, PKA and PKC activations increase hERG proteins on the plasma membrane by distinct mechanisms. While it is possible that PKA enhances hERG protein synthesis, PKC attenuates hERG channel degradation by inactivating Nedd4-2 via phosphorylation.
These findings extend our understanding of hERG channel regulation by Nedd4-2 and provide information useful for rescuing impaired hERG function in LQTS.

abstract: Contents in thesis are included in a paper to be published

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Neural Correlates of Children's Selective Word Learning

contributor:
Sabbagh, Mark A.
Psychology

subject:
N400
Semantic Representations
N200
Semantic Gating
Selective Word Learning
Attention
Encoding Representations

abstract: Thesis (Master, Psychology) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-14 14:41:05.39

abstract: Children are selective social learners who resist learning from informants who are either not able or not willing to provide correct information (see Koenig & Sabbagh, 2013; Mills, 2013 for reviews). To date, however, we have a very limited understanding of the underlying cognitive mechanisms by which children’s selective social learning manifests. The few proposals that I know of have been focused on the processes underlying children’s selective word learning. These studies, however, have been restricted to using modified comprehension test questions and word training paradigms to examine the kinds of representations children create for trained novel words. Although informative, findings from these studies do not provide evidence about how, specifically, the word learning process is altered when information about word meanings is provided by knowledgeable versus ignorant sources. To better understand the mechanisms by which children show selective word learning, I recorded children’s event-related brain potentials (ERPs) in response to the presentation of trained novel words. My goal was to assess whether children created semantic representations for novel words that were trained by an ignorant source. To this end, I investigated the N400 component of the ERP, a centro-parietally distributed negative waveform peaking around 400 ms that indexes how meaning-related information is stored in semantic memory. I found that children who were trained novel words by an ignorant source did not integrate the meaning of the novel words into lexical-semantic memory, as evidenced by a tenuous N400 effect, but demonstrated ERP evidence for recognizing the trained novel words. These findings suggest that, when children encounter a word-object link from an ignorant source, they engage a mechanism that specifically disrupts the semantic processes involved in word learning. Furthermore, children who were trained by an ignorant speaker subsequently showed ERP evidence of attenuated attention to novel words relative to children who were trained by knowledgeable speakers. These findings support the idea that children formed a stable attribution of the speaker’s knowledge state and used this information to block their attention to subsequent information by that speaker.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Access Point Association Coordination in Densely Deployed 802.11 Wireless Networks

contributor:
Blostein, Steven D.
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
CCA threshold
Wireless LANs
Clear channel assessment
Dense networks
AP association

abstract: Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-19 22:31:08.066

abstract:
Dense deployment of wireless local area network (WLAN) access points (APs) is an important part of the next generation Wi-Fi and standardization (802.11ax) efforts are underway. Increasing demand for WLAN connectivity motivates such dense deployments, especially in geographical areas with large numbers of users, such as stadiums, large enterprises, multi-tenant buildings, and urban cities. Although densification of WLAN APs guarantees coverage, it is susceptible to increased interference and uncoordinated association of stations (STAs) to APs, which degrade network throughput. Therefore, to improve network throughput, algorithms are proposed in this thesis to optimally coordinate AP associations in the presence of interference.
In essence, coordination of APs in dense WLANs (DWLANs) is achieved through coordination of STAs' associations with APs. While existing approaches suggest tuning of APs' beacon powers or using transmit power control (TPC) for association control, here, the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio  (SINRs) of STAs and the clear channel assessment (CCA) threshold of the 802.11 MAC protocol are employed. The proposed algorithms in this thesis enhance throughput and minimize coverage holes inherent in cell breathing and TPC techniques by not altering the transmit powers of APs, which determine cell coverage. Besides uncoordinated AP associations, unnecessary frequent transmission deferment is envisaged as another problem in DWLANs due to the clear channel assessment aspect of the carrier sensing multiple access collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) scheme in 802.11 standards and the short spatial reuse distance between co-channel APs.  To address this problem in addition to AP association coordination, an algorithm is proposed for CCA threshold adjustment in each AP cell, such that CCA threshold used in one cell mitigates transmission deferment in neighboring cells.
Performance evaluation reveals that the proposed association optimization algorithms achieve significant gain in throughput when compared with the default strongest signal first (SSF) association scheme in the current 802.11 standard. Also, further gain in throughput is observed when the CCA threshold adjustment is combined with the optimized association. Results show that when STA-AP association is optimized and CCA threshold is adjusted in each cell, throughput improves. Finally, transmission delay and the number of packet re-transmissions due to collision and contention significantly decrease.

abstract: The contents of the thesis are pending publication in international journal, therefore, it should be restricted from public access until the contents are published.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Cut-Off Grade Strategy: Analysis For Dominga Project

contributor:
Thorley, Ursula
Mining Engineering

subject:
Dominga Project
Cut-off Grade

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mining Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-17 11:45:39.039

abstract:
Cut-off grade is a concept used in the mining industry to decide whether to consider the material from the mine as ore or waste. The decision of the specific cut-off grade used in a mine should be periodically evaluated because this concept involves variables such as commodity prices, mining costs, processing costs, metallurgical and mining recoveries, and it is also necessary to take into account the grade distribution of the deposit.
The Dominga project, an IOCG deposit located in Chile, is studied to evaluate the differences of applying different methodologies to select the cut-off grade that maximizes the discounted value of the project. To work with the Dominga project it was necessary to build a recovery model to meet the requirements of the software involved in this study (Whittle Software, version 4.5.3). After this, three different case studies were developed using different strategies to define an iron cut-off grade that maximizes the NPV. These different strategies are identified as using the marginal cut-off grade, a defined cut-off grade and a cut-off grade optimization.
As a result, from the three different case studies, the improvement in the discounted cash flow generated by applying a strategy of cut-off grade optimization rather than a marginal strategy is 3%. If capital expenditure is considered, an improvement of 8% in the NPV is achieved. If this strategy is compared with using a defined cut-off grade, the results are similar.
As a conclusion, for this particular deposit, where the iron ore grade displays homogenous distribution, the effect of applying cut-off grade optimization and the use of a defined iron cut-off grade is very similar.

abstract: The document contain important economic data related with a mining project in Chile, which at this moment is in feasibility study stage.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Re/mediation: The Story of Port Radium

contributor:
McKegney, Sam
English

subject:
Adaptation
Environmental Justice
Dene
Indigenous Literature
Port Radium

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, English) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-18 14:34:31.578

abstract:
This dissertation applies Rob Nixon’s argument that “arresting stories, images, and symbols” are required to draw attention to the slow violence of environmental degradation (Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor 3) to an extended case study of the way in which narratives in various forms, media, and genres have disseminated and legitimated one Indigenous community’s claims about the violence wrought by uranium mining on their land. The case study on which the project centers is the fifty-year campaign undertaken by members of the community of Déline, Northwest Territories to obtain recognition of and remediation for the environmental, cultural, and psychological risks and damages of federally-mandated uranium mining on Great Bear Lake.
Like previous scholarship on risk definition, environmental justice, and the environmentalism of the poor, this study draws out the ways in which conflicts over risk definition give rise to environmental injustice. Like some of this scholarship, it highlights the importance of narrative to legitimating officially discounted risk definitions. The study builds on existing scholarship by adding the variable of cross-cultural, multiple-media adaptation into the equation, arguing that adaptations can alter dominant perceptions of risk even as they alter the discounted risk perceptions they support. Re/mediation, the term the project coins to convey this process of restoring legitimacy to marginalized narratives through mediation, is thus offered as a problematic but ultimately effective riposte to slow violence and its attendant environmental injustices. This project is only the second book-length work on the case study at hand, and the first to analyze textual representations of it across multiple media.

abstract: This thesis is being restricted for reasons of publication.

abstract: PhD


title: Non-Range Based Cooperative Localization for VANETs in Urban Environments

contributor:
Noureldin, Aboelmagd
Hassanein, Hossam S.
Electrical and Computer Engineering

subject:
Urban Environments
Localization
Ranging
INS/GPS integration
Cooperative Positioning
Cooperative Navigation
VANETs

abstract: Thesis (Master, Electrical & Computer Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-18 15:33:57.429

abstract:
Location-Based Services (LBS) and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) demand
positioning accuracy and availability requirements. In urban canyons, Global Navi-
gation Satellite Systems (GNSS) su er from signal blockage, severe multipath, and
low Carrier-to-Noise (C/No) ratio which degrade positioning accuracy and availabil-
ity. Therefore, applications solely relying on GNSS have limited performance. In this
thesis, we present a novel uni ed Cooperative Positioning (CP) solution which en-
hances positioning accuracy and availability in urban canyons. The proposed system
exploits the fact that vehicles have di erent positioning resources and is based on
Angle Approximation (AA). AA requires no infrastructure or other aiding sensors,
AA is distributed and addresses two core challenges (limited positioning accuracy and
availability) in a uni ed solution. AA arti cially generates the hindered pseudorange
by sharing pseudoranges between vehicles using Dedicated Short Range Communi-
cation (DSRC). To enhance the performance of the AA technique, we propose the
Absolute Sum of Double Di erencing (ASODD) method which increases the probabil-
ity of selecting the most accurate generated pseudorange. We also propose a vehicle
selection method called Absolute Sum of Single Di erencing (ASOSD). As the dis-
tance between vehicles decrease, the accuracy of the proposed system increases and
hence ASOSD is utilized to increase the probability of selecting the nearest assistingvehicle to the target vehicle. We have developed an Orbit Simulator to evaluate the
performance of our system.
In addition, we employ the proposed cooperative system to assist the loose integration
between the Inertial Navigation System (INS) and the GPS system (using Extended
Kalman Filter) during partial GPS outages. Using raw data from inertial sensors
and GPS receivers in real road trajectories, we implement the cooperative INS/GPS
loose integration and show that our cooperative integrated system outperforms the
non-cooperative integrated system. The performance metrics used are the 2D posi-
tioning Root-Mean-Square (RMS) error, the maximum 2D positioning error and the
Positioning Accuracy Gain (PAG). Speci cally, the PAG gain is around 88%, 80%
and 60% when the number of blocked satellites is one, two and three respectively.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Neurotransmission modulates neurogenesis within the postnatal enteric nervous system

contributor:
Lomax, Alan E.
Neuroscience Studies

subject:
neuroscience
enteric nervous system
neurogenesis
gastrointestinal

abstract: Thesis (Master, Neuroscience Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-19 19:20:25.076

abstract:
Gastrointestinal (GI) diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, Hirschsprung’s disease or diabetic gastropareisis result in the loss of enteric neurons. The replacement of these lost neurons could potentially normalize the functional disturbances associated with these diseases. Within the adult enteric nervous system (ENS) there is a population of neural stem cells (NSCs) that appear to proliferate in vitro following dissociation. Until recently enteric neurogenesis in vivo has proven challenging due to the presence of a brake on proliferation. However dissociation of enteric ganglia appears to release this brake.  We hypothesized that dissociation induces enteric neurogenesis by disrupting synaptic connections between enteric neurons. Our primary aim was to test this hypothesis and identify which enteric neurotransmitters might be responsible for the suppression of neurogenesis in vivo.
Whole-mount preparations of intact longitudinal muscle-myenteric plexus (LMMP) from mouse colon were grown in a 7-day culture protocol.  Proliferating cells were visualized by uptake of ethynyl deoxyuridine (EdU) while manipulating neurotransmission. Immunohistochemical analysis of the overlap between EdU-labeled cells and Human D (HuD)-immunoreactive neurons were used as a marker for neurogenesis. Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests were employed to compare population data.
Incubation of the LMMP in tetrodotoxin (TTX; 1 μM), which blocks action potential discharge, caused a significant 3-fold increase in myenteric neurogenesis. The muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine (1 μM) also significantly enhanced neurogenesis, an effect that was mimicked by inhibiting phospholipase C with U73122 (1 μM).  Interestingly, nicotinic receptor antagonists had no effect on neurogenesis.  A significant increase in neurogenesis was also observed following inhibition of neuronal nitric oxide synthase by 7-Nitroindazole (30 μM).  This nitrergic brake on neurogenesis may be dependent on activation of soluble-guanylyl cyclase as indicated by increased neurogenesis following incubation in oxadiazole quinoxalin (ODQ; 10 μM).  Additionally, treatment of LMMP with purinergic receptor antagonist, suramin (100 μM) resulted in increased neurogenesis per ganglia compared to controls.  In contrast to nitrergic, purinergic and cholinergic pathways, serotoninergic neurotransmission appears to play no role in modulating neurogenesis. Furthermore, inclusion of the following growth factors, glial derived neurotrophic factor, fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor, in the media for the duration of the culture period prevented excessive death of myenteric neurons in both control and drug-treated cultures.
These data suggest that selective enteric neurotransmission suppresses neurogenesis in the adult ENS. Pharmacological manipulation of neurotransmitter pathways regulating neurogenesis may be a viable means of replacing damaged neurons and restoring normal function following GI injury.

abstract: This work is not yet published and my supervisor and I request for the thesis to be restricted until that time.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Constituting the Archives of Artist-Run Culture: A Self-Conscious Apparatus of History

contributor:
Robertson, Clive
Art History

subject:
Canada
Community Archiving
Artist-Run Archives
Artist-Run Centres
Cultural Democracy
Artist-Run Culture
Historiography
Archives

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Art History) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-19 12:56:41.767

abstract:
This study investigates the production of knowledge through the archives of artist-run centres in Canada in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Archival scholars recognize that the ways materials are collected, presented, and controlled in an archive can impact the types of narratives that may be created from them. But how do such operations occur in artist-run centres, and what challenges might they pose to the construction of historical narratives? What can the ways in which centres define, organize, and provide access to their archival materials reveal about artist-run culture? More specifically, how do systems of ordering, acts of donation, archival architecture, and virtual archives of artist-run centres affect the potential use of these materials in future histories?

This contemporary art history thesis borrows literature and questions from cultural studies and archival science. I explore the multiple and fluid forms of archives claimed by each of these overlapping disciplines, and by artist-run centres themselves. To generate new information about artist-run centre archives, I employ a sociological-ethnographical approach, undertaking a broad survey of arts-related self-organized entities, and conducting interviews with selected representatives of artist-run centres. The assumption that informs these methods of investigation is that information about artistic, archival, and administrative practices can best be gathered from the practitioners themselves. Such an approach respects the knowledge and autonomy of the individual and organizational participants, and is in line with a general artist-run ethos, which calls for the recognition of the experience and expertise of artists and cultural producers.

abstract: PhD


title: No Evidence of Sampling Bias in a Comparison of Two Common Avian Capture Methods

contributor:
Bonier, Frances
Biology

subject:
Behavior
Hormones
Biology
Birds
Capture Bias

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-19 15:30:44.811

abstract: A common assumption underlying many biological studies is that the data we collect from a subset of individuals are representative of the broad population of interest. However, in studies of free-ranging animals, different capture methods might skew samples towards individuals with specific morphological, physiological, and/or behavioral traits. For example, in studies of free-ranging birds, bolder individuals might be more likely to enter certain traps commonly used in capture. Many studies require the capture of individuals for sampling, for instance for measurement of morphological or physiological traits, or for marking individuals. Because the capture methods that are employed often differ both within and between studies, there is potential for capture methods to introduce bias into these studies. We sought to explore this possible bias by comparing individual birds sampled using two very different, and commonly used capture techniques. We caught free-ranging black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) using Potter traps baited with seed and mist nets paired with an audio stimulus (chickadee mobbing calls) and determined sex, body condition, baseline and stress-induced glucocorticoid levels, behavioral response to a novel object, and behavioral response to a predator. We found no significant differences in any of these traits between individuals captured in these two methods. We also found no effect of capture method on the relationship between glucocorticoid levels and risk-taking behavior. We found similar variation of traits within both methods and conclude that selection of either of these two commonly used capture methods can similarly sample the population of interest.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Study on Energy Recovery and Anhydrite Production from Elemental Sulfur

contributor:
Zeman, Frank
McAuley, Kimberly B.
Chemical Engineering

subject:
Electricity Production
Anhydrite
SO2 emissions
CO2 emissions
Sulfur
Gypsum

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-20 02:16:26.087

abstract:
An industrial-scale model was developed for production of anhydrite (CaSO4) via oxidation of elemental sulfur (S) with calcite (CaCO3), and potential electrical generation. In the proposed system, sulfur is first oxidized in a combustion chamber to form sulfur dioxide (SO2) at high temperature and pressure, and expanded in a turbine to produce electrical power. Then, the SO2 is converted to CaSO4 through a Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) boiler. Further energy is recovered from the flue gas through a Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG). In this study, three cases were elaborated, with the best resulting in a predicted power production of 531 MW from a flow of sulfur at 72 kg/s.  The corresponding CO2 emissions are 0.675 kg/kWh, less than a new coal-fired plant’s emissions of 0.762 kg/kWh.
Experimental studies were undertaken to test for the sulfur conversion to anhydrite in two different lab-scale reactor systems.  In the first, sulfur was gasified in an evaporator, and the resulting gas was flowed to a reactor containing calcite, similarly to a FGD system. In the second, sulfur and calcite were inserted in the same vessel to test for direct reaction. Using thermogravimetric and x-ray diffraction tests, it was found that the sulfation percentage increased as a function of temperature from 600 to 800 ⁰C, and was close in value at 800 and 900 ⁰C. The increase of temperature resulted in calcination of calcite to lime (CaO), which reacts better with sulfur; however, when reaching 900 ⁰C, sintering may have occurred, resulting in obstruction of further conversion. Molar ratios of S-CaCO3 of 0.5 showed a better conversion of sulfur (at 700, 800 and 900 ⁰C) than when the reactants were equimolar. Using pure oxygen instead of air almost always showed a higher conversion for all temperatures and reactant ratios.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Aberrant and Alternative Splicing of von Willebrand Factor

contributor:
James, Paula
Pathology and Molecular Medicine

subject:
Splicing
von Willebrand Factor

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Pathology & Molecular Medicine) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-20 14:25:06.906

abstract:
von Willebrand disease (VWD) is the most commonly inherited bleeding disorder in humans resulting from quantitative deficiencies or qualitative defects of von Willebrand factor (VWF). VWD can be caused by a variety of mutations throughout the VWF gene, the majority of which are missense changes. Approximately 10% of pathologic VWF mutations are thought to disrupt the process of VWF splicing leading to VWD; however, this primarily acknowledges canonical splice site mutations, where the nucleotides are most integral and highly conserved to accomplish proper splicing. We hypothesized that pathologic splicing of VWF is likely an under-recognized mechanism of VWD, caused by variation outside of canonical splice sites.
This thesis characterized three VWF mutations acting through pathologic splicing defects using plasma and patient-derived blood outgrowth endothelial cells (BOEC). In Family 1 it was found that the c.3538G>A mutation in exon 26 induces transcription of three in-frame aberrant splice forms (1) skipping exon 23, (2) skipping exon 26, (3) skipping exons 23 & 26 together, leading to Type 1 VWD. In Family 2, the canonical c.5842+1G>C mutation causes VWD through production of intracellularly retained in-frame VWF, skipping exons 33-34. The affected family also produces a transcript skipping exon 33 which was found in three normal BOEC lines at 13±0.2%. Family 3 has an intronic branch site c.6599-20A>T mutation which causes Type 1 VWD through nonsense mediated decay (NMD) of the premature termination codon (PTC) containing VWF transcript skipping exon 38. In-frame aberrant transcripts were found to be decreased under high shear stress, whereas PTC-inducing transcripts were increased.
The aberrant splice forms identified in these families were further characterized in a heterologous cell expression model using human embryonic kidney (HEK)293T cells for VWF expression, secretion, functionality and intracellular trafficking. All mutants except for skipping exon 33 showed reduced expression and secretion and most colocalized with the endoplasmic reticulum. In-frame skipping of exons 33-34 was the only mutant that was able to multimerize and retain functional platelet, collagen, and Factor VIII (FVIII) binding without co-expression of wildtype (WT) VWF.
Alternative splicing is known to occur in approximately 95% of mammalian multi-exon genes; however, no alternative splice variants have been described for VWF thus far. We hypothesized that given the large size of the VWF gene alternative splice variants likely exist. This thesis investigated the possibility of alternative VWF splicing in normal endothelial cells (EC)s using mRNA from BOEC, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC) grown in unstimulated static conditions or after stimulation by estrogen, histamine, plasma, DDAVP, and 15 dynes/cm2 laminar flow. The expression profiles of these EC varied by cell line; however, shear stress appeared to consistently modulate the expression of both in-frame and PTC-inducing alternative splicing transcripts.
The results presented in this thesis provide insight into VWF biology and biosynthesis, through the removal of skipped exons and VWF trafficking, and gleans insight into potential alternative VWF splice forms which may be regulated by shear stress and act to control VWF expression or serve other functions in vivo.

abstract: PhD


title: Applying Durkheim’s Theory of Suicide: A Study of Altruism and Anomie Among Canadian Veterans of Afghanistan

contributor:
Burfoot, Annette J.
Aiken, Alice
Sociology

subject:
Transitional Injury
Durkheim
Morality
Purpose
Suicide
Suicidal Ideation
Moral Injury
Social Theory
Meaning
Qualitative Research
Veterans
Canada
Canadian Veterans
Military
Transition
Veterans in Transition
Sociology
Canadian Armed Forces

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Sociology) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-20 16:00:39.548

abstract: As over 40,000 Canadian service-personnel returned from the war in Afghanistan, more than one third believe they did not make a successful transition. This study inquiries into the lived-experience of Canadian Veterans who have made this transition and demonstrates how difficult transition experiences can contribute to suicidal ideation among Veterans. The vast majority of research on suicide among Veterans focuses on the impact of mental disorders such as Post-traumatic Stress and Major Depressive Disorders, resulting from traumas incurred on deployment. Discussions of difficult social transitions run parallel to this research on suicide. Research on Canadian Veterans in transition to civilian life highlights the negative effect of losing one’s tightly formed communal bonds when leaving the military (Black and Papile, 2010). In addition, Veteran Affairs Canada’s Life After Service Studies (2014) have found that compared to the general Canadian population, Regular Force Veterans are less likely to have a sense of community belonging and are less often satisfied with life. The purpose of this dissertation is to connect the literature on suicide with research on issues related to social belonging during transition. A concept of transitional injury is developed to bridge this gap and build on current understandings of suicidal ideation among Veterans. This research employs semi-structured qualitative in-depth interviews with 35 Canadian male Veterans who deployed to Afghanistan. Following the interviews, a thematic analysis was conducted to understand the major social barriers individuals face as they transition into civilian occupations and family life. Durkheim’s theory of suicide is applied to this contemporary social phenomenon to demonstrate the relevance of his sociology of morality in light of recent developments in the field of suicidology.

abstract: PhD


title: Tuning the Mesomorphic Properties of Phenoxy-Terminated Smectic Liquid Crystals

contributor:
Lemieux, Robert P.
Chemistry

subject:
Electrochemistry
Organic Synthesis
Liquid Crystals
Physical Organic Chemistry

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-25 12:47:23.639

abstract:
A new type of liquid crystal display using surface stabilized ferroelectric liquid crystals (SSFLCs) has faster switching times than conventional nematic displays. The application of SSFLCs in large LCD devices such as TVs has been hindered due to a layer contraction at the smectic A-smectic C transition. The layer contraction leads to buckling of the smectic layers and results in zigzag defects. These zigzag defects degrade optical quality of ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) films. So-called ‘de Vries-like’ liquid crystals with a smectic A-smectic C layer contraction of less than 1% have been sought to address the problem.
In the first section of this thesis, we show that one can tune mesomorphic properties in 2-phenylpyrimidine liquid crystals by addition of a nanosegregating phenoxy end group. In this study, it was shown that nanosegregation can be used to exaggerate the difference in mesophase properties in sterically equivalent isomers. The study also showed that the effect of nanosegregration is not always Smectic C promoting and that, although it may decrease orientational order, it is not the only prerequisite to ‘de Vries-like’ properties in calamitic mesogens. Next, we investigated the phenoxy end group through substituent effects. In this study, it was discovered that the SmC phase can be promoted through increased intermolecular interactions that decrease out of layer fluctuations.
We also showed that phenoxy-terminated mesogens exhibit extremely low optical tilt angles for the SmC phase, on the order of ~10 degrees, which were not consistent with the observed layer spacing obtained from X-ray diffraction experiments. In attempts to determine their true optical tilt angle, these mesogens were doped with chiral dopants and electro-optical switching experiments showed higher optical tilt angles.

abstract: PhD


title: The Impact of Virus Infection in Deregulation of Cytokine Production Upon Secondary Bacterial Infection

contributor:
Basta, Sameh
Biomedical and Molecular Sciences

subject:
Viral/Bacterial Coinfection
Cytokine
IL-23

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biomedical & Molecular Sciences) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-22 10:28:10.26

abstract:
Dendritic cells (DCs) secrete cytokines such as interleukin-23 (IL-23) when stimulated with certain Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists and infected with pathogens such as P. aeruginosa. IL-23 is a proinflammatory cytokine that plays a critical role in the proliferation and differentiation of the IL-17 producing Th17- CD4 T helper cells. The lack of efficient cytokine production from antigen-presenting cells, such as DCs, can impact CD4 differentiation and thus impair the immune responses against pathogens. Clearance of some bacterial infections, such as Klebsiella pneumonia and Listeria monocytogenes has been shown to be dependent on the induction of IL-23 and therefore, deregulation of these cytokines as a direct result of virus infection may impede immune responses to secondary infections. Here, an inhibition of TLR ligand or P. aeruginosa-induced IL-23 expression in Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV)-infected bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) has been demonstrated, indicating that an important function of these cells is disrupted during virus/bacterial coinfection. While production of TNF-α was unaffected in LPS stimulated cells, TNF-α was significantly inhibited in bacterium infected cells by LCMV.

Type I IFN in LPS or LCMV infected cell was not detected and therefore, ruling out the possibility of cytokine suppression by Type I IFN. The production of IL-10 was high in BMDCs infected with LCMV and stimulated with LPS or bacteria. Analysis of multiple cytokines produced in this coinfection model demonstrated that LCMV infection impacts specific cytokine production upon LPS or bacterium infection, which may be important for bacterial clearance. This data is important for future immunotherapy use in viral/bacterial coinfection scenarios.

abstract: To protect rights for immediate commercial publication

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Data Management Workflow and Architecture For Simulation-Based Medical Training

contributor:
Fichtinger, Gabor
Ungi, Tamas
Computing

subject:
Medical education
Data management

abstract: Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-27 01:19:16.662

abstract:
Purpose: Research is ongoing on how best to integrate simulation-based surgical training and the associated quantitative metrics into competency-based medical education. In a review of the literature, study data management tools and methods were lacking.  Specifically, we were not able to find any open-source tools for managing data associated with simulation-based education. Our objective was to develop a practical data management workflow and architecture for simulation studies and implement the workflow as a free and open-source software tool.  Methods: We designed the required data management to be compatible with the Perk Tutor (www.perktutor.org ) free open-source medical simulation platform, developed primarily for image-guided intervention training. In order to determine key requirements, we consulted medical training experts who routinely use the Perk Tutor for trainee evaluation. With this information, we documented the current workflow and identified its limitations.  Software design methods were followed to design the required data management module. In the analysis phase of the project, possible storage options were compared in order to choose one that would fulfill the requirements. Options included: XML, comma-separated values, e-learning platforms and database tools.
Results: A prototype module was implemented as designed within the Perk Tutor platform. The module downloads, and parses data in CSV format from a learning management system (Moodle). Then, the simulation data generated and session metadata is saved together to the local file directory. The local directory is synchronized with a remote password-protected file server and trainee results are uploaded to Moodle. This system of data storage was found to be secure and user-friendly. The implemented module facilitates acquiring metadata and ensuring simulation results are securely stored and accessible for analysis. Conclusion: The new workflow design allowed us to implement a prototype module within the open-source Perk Tutor image-guided intervention training platform. Future work includes surveying users to evaluate the usefulness and performance of our data management solution.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Synthesis of a Novel Diblock Copolymer and Preparation of Highly Selective Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Nanospheres from It

contributor:
Liu, Guojun
Chemistry

subject:
diblock copolymer
MIPs
selectivity
self-assembly

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-21 03:12:53.149

abstract:
Crosslinking monomers or a polymer around template molecules and the subsequent removal of the templates yield a polymer matrix containing cavities that resemble the shape of the templates and bear binding groups that complement those on the template molecules.  However, a key challenge facing those molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) is the infidelity of the pores generated to the original templates and thus non-specific binding of the pores to analytes other than the template.  I report in this thesis a method to improve the selectivity of MIP particles.

I prepared an MIP for a chiral analyte relying not only on the traditional H-bonding interactions between the polymer matrix and the template but also on the - stacking interactions. Specifically, I synthesized a novel diblock copolymer poly(ethylene oxide)226-block-poly[(2-pentafluorocinnamoyloxyethyl methacrylate)75%-ran-[2-(2’-carboxybenzoyloxy)ethyl methacrylate]25%]100 or PEO226-b-P(FEMA75%-r-CA25%)100.  While the CA groups were introduced because of their H-bond interactions with carbonyl oxygen and amino group of the chiral template D-phenylalanine anilide, the FEMA units were introduced for their ability to crosslink under the UV irradiation and also for the π-π stacking interactions of the fluorinated FEMA phenyl rings with the phenyl rings of D-phenylalanine anilide. To prepare MIP nanoparticles, I first dispersed the diblock copolymer and D-phenylalanine anilide in chloroform/methanol at 95 vol% of methanol to prepare micelles that bore PEO coronal chains and a P(FEMA-r-CA) core that complexed with D-phenylalanine anilide.  I then photocrosslinked the micellar core and locked the FEMA and CA units around the template molecules.  In a third step, I extracted out D-phenylalanine anilide using a solvent.  I discovered that these crosslinked MIP nanoparticles had a selectivity of 6.3 towards the binding of D-phenylalanine anilide over L-phenylalanine anilide.  This represented a 70% increase in selectivity of MIP nanoparticles prepared from an analogous approach by replacing PEO226-b-P(FEMA75%-r-CA25%)100 with PEO226-b-P(CEMA75%-r-CA25%)100, where CEMA is the hydrogenated version of FEMA.  I believe that my work pinpoints the opportunity for using π-π stacking interactions between fluorinated and hydrogenated aromatic rings for improving the selectivity of MIPs and the potential of using this interaction in future for developing highly selective MIPs.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Developmental origins of cardiovascular disease: alterations in gestational hypertension and stroke outcome in adult offspring

contributor:
Pang, Stephen C.
Jin, Albert Y.
Biomedical and Molecular Sciences

subject:
Stroke
Natriuretic peptides
Hypertension
Pregnancy
Fetal-programming

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Biomedical & Molecular Sciences) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-21 10:57:47.545

abstract:
The developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), originally defined by Dr. David Barker, recognizes that in addition to adverse exposures in adulthood, influences during early stages of development contribute significantly to disease risk later in life. This suggests additional target periods for intervention across the course of life that will assist in reducing the global burden of disease. The development of hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) or other pregnancy-related syndromes, negatively affects both the maternal and fetal physiological systems predisposing mothers and infants to increased incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). We hypothesize that gestational hypertension, a mild form of HDP, impacts maternal cardiac remodeling during pregnancy and the response of offspring to a cardiovascular disease stress, such as acute ischemic stroke in adulthood.
	The established atrial natriuretic peptide gene-disrupted (ANP−/−) mouse model was utilized in this thesis to investigate the influence of chronic and gestational hypertension on pregnancy-induced cardiac alterations in addition to cerebrovascular response to stroke. Objectively, we sought to characterize novel methods to investigate the effects of fetal-programming on ischemic stroke and provide experimental evidence to correspond with currently published epidemiological observations. Collectively, our data are the first to experimentally describe the long-term consequences of gestational hypertension and lack of maternal ANP on stroke outcome and cardiac remodeling over the course of pregnancy. During pregnancy, we have demonstrated the onset and regression of pregnancy-induced cardiac hypertrophy as well as the local cardiac mRNA expression of the renin-angiotensin and natriuretic peptide systems (RAS and NPS, respectively).  We have additionally shown up regulation of the RAS late in pregnancy while the NPS was up regulated post partum.  Herein, we have also demonstrated that although gestational hypertension did not adversely affect maternal cardiac remodeling over the course of pregnancy, gestational hypertension did significantly impact the cerebral response of offspring to focal ischemia by up regulating cerebral vasoactive systems implicated in ischemic stroke; namely the endothelin (ET) and nitric oxide synthase (NOS) systems.

abstract: This thesis is to be restricted due to final manuscript publications that are in press or in preparation for journal submission.

abstract: PhD


title: Journeys of the Body, Journeys of the Mind: Ectypal and Archetypal  Studies of Cervantes’ The Trials of Persiles and Sigismunda

contributor:
Thompson, Peter
Cultural Studies

subject:
Spanish Golden Age Literature
Cervantes
Persiles y Sigismunda
Carl Jung

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Cultural Studies) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-21 14:23:36.484

abstract:
ABSTRACT

	This thesis offers an ectypal as well as an archetypal analysis of six characters from Miguel de Cervantes’ posthumous novel The Trials of Persiles and Sigismunda (1617). It examines these characters both as citizens of a specific historical place and time, as well as individuals undergoing the process Carl Jung called individuation, a process experienced by all human beings as they move towards a greater masculine-feminine psychic balance.
	After an introduction to Jungian literary theory, the character of Antonio Villaseñor is examined ectypally by focusing on his argument with a fellow nobleman and how it reflects the sometimes subtle differences that distinguished an hidalgo from a caballero in the social hierarchy of early modern Spain. The voyage that leads him to the Barbarous Isle is then considered from an archetypal perspective, with the Spaniard progressing from a one-sided, all-male worldview, towards a more balanced masculine-feminine psyche that is symbolized by his union with a barbarian woman named Ricla, the anima figure who represents the missing feminine in Antonio.
	Transila Fitzmaurice and the ius primae noctis custom that is practised in her homeland introduce the theme of rape, which pervades the Persiles, and its social and legal implications in early modern Spain. Archetypally, her journey is considered as a taking-on of the contrasexual characteristics that have heretofore been lacking in her psyche.
	The implications of refusing a father’s choice of marriage partner are studied in the stories of Feliciana de la Voz and Isabela Castrucha, as are the subterfuges that real women devised in order to take control of their lives in a patriarchal world that allowed them so little autonomy. Archetypally, each of these women is able to assimilate their masculine side, or animus, thus moving closer to the psychic androgyny that Jung believed was the natural state of the human psyche.
	The title characters, Persiles and Sigismunda, are considered only from an archetypal perspective. The focus in this work is on the repressed sexuality of these two characters, as it manifests itself in Persiles’ dream and in the jealousy that dominates Sigismunda’s character throughout the novel.

abstract: PhD


title: Shameful Attachments / Attachments to Shame: Affective Unreliability and the Contemporary Moment

contributor:
Bongie, Christopher
English

subject:
Masochism
Shame
Schadenfreude
Emotion
Desire
Affect Theory

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, English) -- Queen's University, 2015-08-22 15:05:29.998

abstract: This dissertation undertakes a critical consideration of the productive and beneficent potential of shame. By examining texts in which characters or individuals depart from more traditional narratives, experiences, and/or manifestations of shame, this project aims to deconstruct the historically-entrenched definition of shame as a negative affect and provide a more inclusive and potentially liberating formulation. The introductory chapter charts the dominant trends in shame theory since Freud and articulates some of the main questions that propel the arguments of this dissertation: how do attachments to shame form? What is it that attracts individuals to shame? How do we begin to conceive of a form of shame that does not operate as shame “should?” Via close-readings of Rick Moody’s The Ice Storm, Chapter Two begins to answer some of these questions, examining the relation between shame and desire in order to demonstrate not only the necessity of desire to shame’s instantiation, but the ways in which shame alters our understanding of discourses of desire. Chapter Three investigates the life, writing, and art of Bob Flanagan, performance artist and “supermasochist,” to reveal the sometimes erotic nature of shame. Chapter Four’s analysis of NBC’s The Biggest Loser focuses on the more familiar narrative of shame as an enforcer of social norms, suggesting that the ostensibly passive desire to see others humiliated (schadenfreude) is actually a form of active participation in the modes of governmentality embedded in reality television and thus reveals the ubiquity of attachments to shame in contemporary culture. Chapter Five engages with two Steve McQueen films—Shame (2011) and Twelve Years a Slave (2013)—in order to suggest that the existence of so many different (and differently productive) relations to shame, when widely visible, produces uncertainty about the relation between, and about what constitutes, shame and/or shamelessness. Chapter Five’s discussion of the (un)reliability of affective markers leads me, in the Conclusion, to provide a new lens through which we might be able to envision the current affective economy of the United States, one paradoxically characterized by both shame and shamelessness.

abstract: I would like the opportunity to pursue publication of some or all of the work included in the thesis.

abstract: PhD