title: Investigating seasonal hydrology and its relationship with microbiological indicators in the Apex River watershed (Iqaluit, Nunavut)

subject:
Hydrology
Water Resources
Dissolved Organic Carbon
Fluorescence Spectroscopy
Apex River
Iqaluit
PARAFAC

abstract: Climate change in permafrost regions is projected to alter water resource distribution and water quality. The aim of this study was to characterize seasonal hydrology and dissolved organic matter (DOM) abundance and composition in the Apex River watershed in order to (1) identify water sources and pathways and (2) explore possible relationships between seasonal hydrology, DOM, and standard microbiological indicators (total coliforms (TC) and Escherichia coli). Discharge was measured at four sites in the Apex River (AR, CF, ET, and WT) from June 10th – August 28th, 2015. Water samples were collected three times weekly from June 8th - August 28th at the four sites and analyzed for DOC concentrations and DOM composition. Fluorescence spectroscopy and parallel factor (PARAFAC) analysis revealed the presence of five fluorescent components: three humic and two protein-like. DOM exports from the smaller east tributary (ET) exhibit predominantly protein-like (autochthonous) while DOM from the larger west tributary (WT) demonstrates humic-like (allochthonous) and protein-like (autochthonous) fluorescence. Autochthonous DOM is derived from microbial activity within water bodies while allochthonous DOM is derived from terrestrial sources. The rapid response of discharge to inputs indicates that snowmelt and precipitation runoff primarily follows overland pathways. Evidence of different timing of labile DOC availability between the Apex River outflow (AR), compared to ET, implies that controls on autochthonous DOM inputs differ between the two sites. TC densities show a correlation with protein-like fluorescence and biological freshness index (BIX). Results contribute to background knowledge which policy-makers can use to establish policies that ensure the sustainability of Iqaluit’s water resources.

abstract: NSERC, Nunavut Research Institute, Northern Scientific Training Program, ArcticNet, and Queen's University SWEP.


title: Stress State Mapping Using Seismic Stress Inversion: Application to Kidd Mine

contributor:
McKinnon, Stephen D.
Mining Engineering

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:
Mine stresses
Focal Mechanisms
Mining-induced seismicity
Inversion
Fault-slip
Mining seismicity

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mining Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-25 15:49:49.076

abstract:
This study investigates the applicability of seismic stress inversion in a mining environment with active geological structure, in order to map spatiotemporal stress states. First Motion Stress Inversion (MOTSI) (Abers, 2001) software is utilized, whereby this research outlines methods to establish spatiotemporal domains, determine
inversion reliability and sensitivity, and explore the applicability and limitations
of detecting stress state changes through seismic stress inversion.
The application of spatiotemporal discretization to the methodology allows domains to be representative of pseudo-homogeneous stress states, to increase the reliability and resolution of mapped stresses. Geological structures are established as discrete boundaries of inversion domains, and were found to produce unique stress tensors representative of homogeneous stress states that differed from the stress states in adjacent domains. High seismic event frequency is established as a bound between temporal domains and stricter  filters produce more reliable inversions. Stress tensors produced through the inversion method indicate an evolution
of the stress path over time. Stress states only influenced by mining are gradual and smooth, whereas in the case of fault-slip, the evolution appears to display sharp changes at the time of the events. A significant limitation of this method is data sparsity. This is directly related to the number of filters applied to the dataset, thus a balance between filter strictness and database size must be considered. This work demonstrates the weak and brittle behaviour of the faults and that interconnected geological structure is significant in the seismic expression of the failure mechanism and can be captured through the inversion method. Through more research, the implementation of this method in real-time may bring insight as to which spatial domains or structures are at risk of fault slip, in addition to mapping the stress state. Overall, through an improved understanding of the stress state adjacent to weak structures, it is expected that seismic stress inversion will lead to greater reliability of stability analysis, consequently improving the design process for deep mines.

abstract: Please restrict for 6 months. I am currently writing a journal entry on this subject and would like the journal publication to be released before the thesis.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Fluorescence based passive samplers for diluted bitumen in water

subject:
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Bitumen
Passive Samplers
Fluorescence
Polydimethylsiloxane
UltraEverDry

abstract:
Passive samplers are low-cost and simple devices that can be used to monitor analytes in dynamic systems. In this project, Polydimethylsiloxane and UltraEverDry films were tested for
application as passive samplers for dilbit. Three types of oil were used, dissolved, mechanically dispersed, and mechanically dispersed with chemical enhancement. PDMS absorbed oil, with dispersed oil allowing for faster uptake into PDMS than dissolved oil. Equilibration times ranged from 4-8 days for dispersed oil, depending on the thickness of the film. The lower detection limit of the thick PDMS films is approximately 0.4 ppm but can be improved by improving film reproducibility. Thin films had a partition coefficient of approximately 1000 while thick films had a partition coefficient of apprxoximately 6000. Oil can be extracted from PDMS films with ethanol giving a volume dependent signal. Films and ethanol extracts can be used to monitor the concentration of dilbit present in model systems for riverbeds and real-life oil release scenarios. Oil was not observed adsorbed to UltraEverDry.


title: Inter-nation tax equity: An enquiry into the distributive justice concerns of international tax allocations between countries

contributor:
Cockfield, J. Arthur
Law

subject:
Inter-nation tax equity
International tax allocations

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Law) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-21 17:27:18.188

abstract: This thesis examines whether the economic benefits of international commerce are or can be equitably distributed between countries through international tax systems. It explores how international tax revenue is presently allocated between nations and considers how such allocations could be made more equitable. The idea that international tax revenues should be equitably shared between countries is implicit in the concept of inter-nation equity. Broadly, the concept proposes that countries should share their international tax base (or revenues) in a manner that is fair to all of the countries concerned. It forms the basis for a theoretical model of the relationships between the international tax system, inter-country distributive justice, and the socioeconomic disparities between countries. However, the distributive justice aspects of the concept as it is currently understood are problematic. This thesis investigates these concerns in both the theory of inter-nation equity and its application in international tax systems. The thesis finds that the current bases on which international tax is allocated do not support systematic redistribution between countries, partly because of a lack of clear distributive justice objectives in the underlying principle of inter-nation equity. To cure this shortcoming, the thesis offers two broad recommendations. First, the concept of inter-nation equity should be expanded to include the element of redistribution as an explicit and integral component. Second, to support such a redistributive element, quantifiable determinants, such as the relative wealth of countries and the respective incomes that they earn from mutual cross-border commerce should be used as the basis for allocating tax between countries. Such changes would encourage countries to share their international tax revenues in a manner that is fair as well as systematically redistributive, rendering the inter-country tax allocation process more equitable.

abstract: I am contemplating to publish it in two parts (books form), and would like to protect my rights to commercial publication.

abstract: PhD


title: Phytoremediation and bioremediation of heavy oils in saline Alberta soils

subject:
Phytoremediation
Bioremediation
Alberta
Petroleum Hydrocarbon
Halophiles
Halophytes
Oil Wells

abstract:
Alberta, Canada is well-known as a major producer of oil and gas resources and these activities are significant contributors towards the province’s economic growth. Currently, in the area of Lloydminster, Alberta, heavy oil is produced through an increasing number of oil wells managed under the Alberta Government’s directives and regulations. However, as oil wells gradually decline in oil production, operators are obligated to begin reclamation and remediation activities to ensure the land can be returned to a state for future use. Alberta is experiencing an increasing number of inactive wells with a portion of them located in Lloydminster, and many of them are remaining stagnant because they lack a fiscally and legally responsible party to manage their abandonment and reclamation process. Stagnant inactive wells can be an environmental, economic and social liability. The lack of management or monitoring in some cases fails to prevent any infrastructure failure that may leak heavy petroleum hydrocarbons and brine into the surrounding environment.
The various remediation processes to reduce the heavy petroleum hydrocarbon contaminants found in soils is limited when considering the high levels of salinity from brine exposure. However, phytoremediation and bioremediation using halophytes and halophiles are investigated as potential tools as a less invasive and more sustainable approach than certain costly ex-situ remediation techniques and to overcome the complication of high salinity. In addition, the integration of natural tools in an enhanced system known as multi-process phytoremediation system (MPPS) using rhizosphere and endophyte bacteria in a symbiotic relationship with plant species is an important consideration when approaching remediation of several co-existing contaminants and multiple stress factors. Lastly, several mechanisms to describe heavy metal pollutant remediation will be considered because they are commonly found in conjunction with oil well contamination in saline soils.
It is important to remediate the land as soon as possible to mitigate the adverse environmental and economic impacts on Alberta’s growth towards a global leader in environmental efforts.


title: Ecosystem-Based Management of Hydropower Facilities in the Bridge-Seton Watershed of British Columbia

subject:
ecosystem-based management
hydropower
fisheries
Bridge River
BC Hydro
Seton River
dam
sustainability

abstract: Undergraduate Independent Study Thesis

abstract: Hydroelectric power has long been a cheap and easy source of renewable energy that is becoming more and more popular amid a world-wide transition to a low-carbon economy. However, hydropower facilities can have detrimental ecosystem impacts. Declining fisheries in particular is a concern that is motivating more sustainable approaches to water management. This study analyses the sustainability of the Bridge-Seton Power Project in Lillooet, British Columbia using criteria drawn from a literature review of ecosystem-based management.  Ecosystem-based management provides a new approach to managing hydropower facilities. Ecosystem-based management outlines a procedure to sustainable development while coping with ecological uncertainty and competing interests.  An environmental assessment has never been done on the Bridge-Seton Power Project, therefore this study provided new and valuable comprehensive third-party feedback on the management of these hydropower facilities. The results of the assessment show that BC Hydro is performing well as a sustainable developer of British Columbia’s freshwater resources. The Bridge-Seton Power Project fulfilled the criteria for ecosystem-based management, providing an exemplary case for hydropower development elsewhere.


title: Co-managment Techniques and the Alderville Black Oak Savanna

subject:
Aboriginal
Co-managment
Government
Provincial
Federal
First Nation
Alderville
Interactions

abstract:
In the last fifteen years, First Nation and Ontario government relations have emerged as the most important issue in environmental resource and land use planning.  Investigative reports such as the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples highlight the disparaging relationships between the two distinct organizations. The Alderville First Nation Black Oak Savanna and Tallgrass Prairie is recognized as an exemplary approach to co-management, a leading example of beneficial relationships between the government and a First Nation group. The Alderville Black Oak Savanna, located in the Greenbelt of Southern Ontario, is a restoration project and ecology center run and operated by the Alderville First Nation. The restoration and governance initiative incorporates traditional ecological knowledge to preserve the native species of Canada’s eastern-most savanna and prairie. In dealing with the provincial government, the Alderville First Nation has incorporated many co-management techniques at differing levels.
	By developing an integrative typology incorporating a variety of scholarly components, a thorough and proper assessment of the co-management technique utilized between the Alderville First Nation and the Provincial Government of Ontario is possible. This relationship can then be analyzed on the basis of developing a comprehensive framework from which future Government-First Nation relationships can be built. The key values of an equitable co-management technique are highlighted and discussed both in general context and in specific regard to the Alderville Black Oak Savanna case study.


title: Assessing Diatom Shifts in Embayments and Lakes in and Around Georgian Bay (Lake Huron) Using Paleolimnology

contributor:
Smol, John P.
Biology

subject:
Climate Warming
Acidification
Long-Term Environmental Change
Georgian Bay
Paleolimnology
Diatoms

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-22 14:02:04.095

abstract: Freshwater ecosystems in Ontario are affected by a growing number of multiple stressors, with climate change often acting as a “threat multiplier”. Diatom-based paleolimnological approaches are used to provide the much needed long-term ecological information for embayments and lakes in and around Georgian Bay. In Chapter 2, the relative importance of nutrients and warming on the recent increase in sedimentary Asterionella formosa relative abundances in George Lake by comparing regional air temperature trends, 20 years of annually measured lake water nutrients (total nitrogen, total inorganic nitrogen, and total phosphorus), and long-term regional total inorganic nitrogen deposition data.  Recent increases in A. formosa occur during the warmest period on record, even in the absence of nutrient enrichment. In Chapter 3, sedimentary diatom assemblages from two lakes in Killarney Provincial Park (north of Georgian Bay) are shown to clearly track the acidification of regional lakes around the turn of the 20th century in response to smelting activities in Sudbury, Ontario. Although the Killarney lakes showed signs of chemical recovery (increase in pH), the recent (post-1980s) diatom assemblages are not similar to either pre-acidification or acidification assemblages suggesting factors such as climate warming are partly driving recent diatom assemblage changes, rather than simply chemical recovery. In Chapter 4, diatom responses to shoreline development and climate warming in three embayments from southeastern Georgian Bay, two with shoreline development (impact) and one without (unimpacted). In the early 20th century, compositional changes in diatoms at the two impacted embayments are indicative of a modest increase in nutrient conditions. In the mid to late-20th and early 21st centuries, pronounced shifts towards higher abundances of lightly silicified pennate (Asterionella formosa and Fragilaria crotonensis) and/or small centric (Cyclotella ocellata, C. comensis, and C. gordonensis) planktonic diatoms at all three embayments were consistent with a response to warming and associated changes in thermal and other physical properties. Collectively, my studies show that diatom assemblages are tracking long-term changes in limnological variables, but with the prevalence of multiple environmental stressors in a warming climate, diatom assemblages are on a new trajectory and therefore unlikely to return to pre-industrial scenarios.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: An assessment of mineral development adjacent to Kluane National Park and Reserve, Yukon

abstract: This study assessed the potential for competing land use along the boundaries of national parks in northern Canada to impact the wilderness character of these parks, using Kluane National Park and Reserve (KNPR) in the southwest Yukon as a case study.  A survey on wilderness and park values was distributed to KNPR visitors to determine the relative importance of these values from the perspective of a park visitor.  The survey results provided a foundation for the assessment of KNPR and adjacent development based on the most important wilderness characteristics identified by respondents: the preservation of wildlife habitat, the protection of endangered species, and ecosystem protection.  Survey results also illustrated that, with respect to KNPR, park visitors value the opportunity to encounter untouched nature, to experience the wilderness character of a national park, and to view wildlife in a natural setting. A GIS-based approach was used to assess the compatibility of mineral development and the preservation of key wildlife habitat in the Kluane region with respect to the park.  Key habitat for the seven wildlife species considered was primarily concentrated in the region adjacent to the park.  There was also a high concentration of quartz and placer mineral claims in this region, including a proposed large-scale, open-pit nickel and platinum-group metals mine that is currently in an advanced state of exploration. Adjacent mineral development may impact the wilderness character of the park by compromising key wildlife habitat adjacent to KNPR.  Other national parks in northern Canada also face similar challenges. As development in northern Canada increases, regional management strategies must prioritize ecosystem protection to preserve the wilderness character of northern national parks.


title: Soil Characterization and Hydrogeological Modelling of an Episodic Retrogressive Landslide in Champlain Sea Clay

contributor:
Take, W. Andy
Civil Engineering

subject:
Landslide Triggering Mechanisms
Champlain Sea Clay
Laboratory Testing
Soil Characterization
Retrogressive Landslide
Hydrogeological Modelling

abstract: Thesis (Master, Civil Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-26 22:32:20.017

abstract:
Champlain Sea clay is a sensitive marine clay deposited within the St. Lawrence lowlands during the later stages of the Wisconsin glaciation. The sensitive clay has been known to transform from a relatively brittle material to a liquid mass when subjected to shear distortion. As a result, large-scale retrogressive landslides are common within natural slopes in Eastern Ontario and Quebec.  Multiple retrogressive failures have been observed along the slopes of the Mud Creek river valley, however, these failures display rather unique behaviors, involving limited retrogressive distances, and episodic retrogressive events. The mechanisms involved with these failures are not yet adequately understood. Therefore, a laboratory testing program was initiated to place the geotechnical properties of the Champlain Sea clay deposits at Mud Creek in context with those of more renowned large-scale retrogressive events. Results of this study indicate that the Mud Creek field site is heavily overconsolidated, and that strength properties at Mud Creek are similar to those of large-scale retrogressive failures. As such, it is concluded that the small heights of the river banks at Mud Creek, in combination with relatively high undrained shear strengths, do not allow for undrained conditions to develop after initial failure events. Therefore, retrogression at Mud Creek can be described as a series of drained failures, the frequency of which is determined by the seasonal shear deformations caused by elevated total heads induced by spring thaws.
To understand the groundwater regime at Mud Creek, hydrogeological modelling was conducted on two separate spring melt events. These models successfully match the in-situ field measurements (±30mm) for two separate geometries while maintaining all material properties constant and varying only the magnitude of infiltration. Investigations into potential triggering mechanisms indicated that instances of two rapid snowmelts, separated by less than two weeks, resulted in a worst case scenario for slope stability. This triggering mechanism was observed to be present prior to the retrogressive failure events at Mud Creek in 2012 and 2013.

abstract: Journal papers are not yet published, future slope stability work to be conducted prior to journal submissions.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Higher rank sieves and applications

contributor:
Murty, Maruti Ram
Mathematics and Statistics

subject:
Sieves
Distribution of primes

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mathematics & Statistics) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-23 13:21:39.438

abstract:
This thesis focuses on some of the key sieve theoretic ideas behind recent progress on bounded gaps between the primes. One such idea is the notion of  higher rank sieve weights, first proposed by Atle Selberg and applied successfully to the context of prime k-tuples by J. Maynard and T. Tao. We develop an axiomatic formulation for a general higher rank sieve, in the spirit of Selberg's own treatment of his classical sieve. We apply this theory to an assortment of problems such as almost prime k-tuples and  prime k-tuples in imaginary quadratic fields with class number 1.

Another novel idea that was brought to the forefront by the path-breaking work of Yitang Zhang is that of obtaining new equidistribution results for the primes by making the moduli "smooth" or free of large prime factors. We develop a general method to incorporate the technique of smoothing the moduli into the higher rank sieve and apply this to prime k-tuples.

In a different vein, the last chapter of the thesis expands upon the well-known parity principle in sieve theory. We show that sufficient "randomness" in the sign of the M\"obius function, combined with another conjecture about the equidistribution of the primes in arithmetic progressions,  can be used to break the parity barrier and yield infinitely many twin primes.

abstract: PhD


title: The Sublethal Effects of Chemically-Dispersed Access Western Blend and Cold Lake Blend Diluted Bitumen on Rainbow Trout Embryos (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

abstract: An increased demand for Canadian diluted bitumen has resulted in new proposals, such as the Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline, for transportation to coastal ports for shipment to foreign markets. Access Western Blend (AWB) and Cold Lake Blend (CLB) are identified as the highest-volume dilbit products currently shipped in Canada, each with varying physical properties and chemical compositions. Though dilbit is similar to conventional crude oils in physical properties, the volatility of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in dilbit during oil spill scenarios causes changes to its environmental fate and behavior. This study characterizes the physiological effects of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) embryos in response to chemically-dispersed dilbit to establish salmonid sensitivity for populations at risk from dilbit spills caused by transportation or pipeline failures. Embryos were exposed for 23 days to dilutions of chemically-enhanced water accommodated fractions of AWB and CLB dilbit. Toxicity was determined by measuring mortality rate as well as the development of blue sac disease (BSD) in embryos at the end of the 23-day exposure. Physiological effects were assessed through mortality, prevalence of malformations, and measurement of gene transcripts associated with phase I (cyp1a), phase II (hsp70, gst, gpx, nfe2, gsr, sod, cat), xenobiotic metabolism (ahr, arnt), and cell cycling and mutation response (p53). Complete mortality was observed at the highest treatments of 1 % v/v due to dispersant toxicity. Malformations were measured in the second highest treatments (0.1 % v/v) of AWB and CLB dilbits. Significant changes in gene expression were observed in ahr, cyp1a, gsr, p53, and sod1 in response to the upper nominal loadings of CEWAF dilbits. This is the first study on the physiological effects of chemically-dispersed dilbit exposure in a native Canadian fish species and may provide a baseline of physiological effects for other economically-important salmonids with varying life strategies and environmental sensitivities.


title: The Apophthegmata Lakonika and Greek Perceptions

contributor:
Zaccagnino, Cristiana
Classics

subject: Plutarch Mirage Sparta Apophthegmata

abstract: Thesis (Master, Classics) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-25 17:18:46.827

abstract: There exists within the corpus of extant Greek and Roman literature a work by Plutarch, the Apophthegmata Lakonika that has been looked upon dubiously by scholars. However, the scholarly neglect of the Sayings of the Spartans has created another unnecessary barrier to gaining a better understanding of the Spartans. Although heavily influenced by the Spartan mirage, the Apophthegmata Lakonika represents a valuable source of insight into the mindset and personality of the average Spartan. The intent of this study is to examine key selections of the Sayings and comparing them to historical events that either reflect, or contradict, the values expressed in the Sayings. This study will focus on five fundamental areas: patriotism, nerves, obedience, contempt for wealth, and the Spartan relationship with death. The intended approach is to examine several Sayings that discuss each value, and then compare that evidence with the historical record to confirm or deny their authenticity as Spartan traits. By dissecting the Sayings and examining them in this way, we can begin to dissect features of the Spartan mirage that have developed over the course of thousands of years of scholarship. We can begin to divide the fictitious and fallacious aspects of the Spartan mirage from authentic fact, and in doing so gain a new avenue with which to interact with Spartan culture. The implications of such a study are wide-reaching. By affirming the validity of the Apophthegmata Lakonika we can both open it to further examination as well as reinvigorate an otherwise neglected area of scholarly study. The name “Spartan” has always echoed with authority within the ancient tradition – and such an echo deserves its due within academic scholarship, rather than its status as near anathema for much of the latter half of the 20th century.

abstract: M.A.


title: Nonlinear Finite Element Modeling and Analysis of Metal Hot Forming for Automotive Weight Reduction

contributor:
Kim, Il-Yong
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject: Simulation Manufacturing

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-25 20:56:18.629

abstract: This research develops a methodology for three dimensional, multi-stage, large deformation, finite element contact analysis, which considers the effects of thermo-plasticity and austenite decomposition. The developed methodology is applied to the forming process of a transmission clutch hub which is constructed from UHSS 22MnB5 for the purpose of automotive lightweighting. The entire process chain is considered, including the hot stamping process, in which a high temperature blank enters a stamping press with actively cooled tooling. The press then forms the blank and remains closed, so as to cool the part rapidly enough to induce phase transformations in the material. The resulting part increases in strength by up to 250% during this process. This research focuses on simulating the entire multi-stage stamping process including cold formed stages but with the exception of piercing and trimming operations. The clutch hub is currently manufactured from 2.5mm thick HSLA and a transition to 1.5mm thick 22MnB5 is proposed. This would represent a 38% mass reduction if successful. Typically, 22MnB5 has been reserved for structural components, which have substantially less complex geometry than that of a typical transmission clutch hub, thereby increasing the complexity of the problem. Simulations including austenite decomposition were carried out using the non-linear finite element solver LS-DYNA. In order to validate the numerical models, three criteria were evaluated and compared to experimental data: material thickness, lubrication hole geometry, and Vickers hardness. It was found that the thickness distribution of the numerical model accurately represented the thickness distribution of the cold formed stage. The error in thickness estimation was 0.91% for the cold stage. Thickness change during the hot formed stage was only considered at the splines. The final geometry of the lubrication hole presented by the numerical model also closely resembled that of the experimental result: the error between the numerical and experimental model was 1.4% in the major diameter, where the primary stretching occurred. Finally, Vickers hardness values for both models were compared at 11 points distributed along the radial direction and the error was found to be an average of 13.5%.

abstract: The industry partner has requested that the information be restricted.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Leveraging New Media Towards Positive Body Image

contributor:
Lord, Susan
Cultural Studies

subject:
New Media Platforms
Women's Body Image
Positive Body Image
Dominant Ideas
Alternative Ideas
Media-Literacy
Beauty Redefined
GabiFresh
Fashion
Body Dissatisfaction
Disordered Eating
The Thin Ideal
Plus-Size Fashion
Fat Activism
New Media

abstract: Thesis (Master, Cultural Studies) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-26 14:33:24.053

abstract:
Contemporary Western consumer culture frequently promotes monolithic and unrealistic body standards for women. Traditional and mainstream beauty and fashion industries advertise the “ideal” body type as very thin, white, young and able-bodied. Consequently, many issues surrounding body image dissatisfaction and disordered eating in women have often been connected to such exclusive and narrow ideals. This thesis will argue that new media landscapes present new and promising options for women to send and receive alternative and positive knowledge about their bodies.
In the first chapter, I outline my personal experiences with disordered eating, in order to provide the reader with insight into the conditions that guide my research, before I review literature regarding disordered eating, the thin ideal and the shift from traditional sources of media to new media landscapes. The body of this thesis surrounds two case studies that work to demonstrate my argument about the possibilities new media presents for women’s body image. In the second chapter, I analyze the first case study, Beauty Redefined, an online media-literacy based brand that highlights conditions and consequences of mainstream beauty ideals and encourages awareness and resistance to them. In the third chapter, I examine the second case study, GabiFresh, a plus size fashion blog by Gabi Gregg that promotes body acceptance and encourages style regardless of size, seemingly in line with fat activism. In the last chapter, I outline possible future research directions, inspiration for a personal project and conclusions about my analysis on the two case studies and new media landscapes. As a feminist, and because of my experiences with disordered eating, I use both feminist media analysis and auto-ethnography as my primary methodologies throughout this piece.

abstract: M.A.


title: Constrained extremum-seeking control in discrete-time with application to liquefier unit power minimization

contributor:
Guay, Martin
Chemical Engineering

subject:
Liquefier Optimization
Constrained ESC
time-varying ESC
ESC

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-26 15:42:01.057

abstract: Given the increasing complexity of engineering systems, difficulties are often met in developing models that describe these systems accurately. If the model is used for the purpose of optimization, the true plant optimum cannot be achieved in the presence of plant-model-mismatch. Extremum-seeking control is a model free real-time optimization technique that is well suited for the optimization of uncertain processes. This work presents a constrained time-varying extremum seeking control approach for a class of discrete-time nonlinear systems. An interior point method is used to enforce the constraints. The proposed method has the ability to guarantee feasibility of a closed-loop system during optimization. The transient performance of the technique is compared to that of a constrained extremum-seeking approach in 1 dimension [Mills and Kristic, 2015]. Simulation results presented show the effectiveness of the proposed technique in solving constrained optimization problems within the stated constraints. The proposed technique is employed for the minimization of the unit power consumption of an operational nitrogen liquefier. In this thesis, the steady-state relationship between the manipulated variables, which include feed gas discharge pressure, turbine flow ratio, heat exchanger sub-cooler level set point, and the unit power consumption of the liquefier is investigated. The simulation model is used to estimate the steady-state unit power using varying values of the turbine flow ratio at different operating conditions. The simulation results demonstrate that a small but significant reduction in the unit power of the liquefier can be realized. This study clearly identifies the potential for the use of extremum-seeking control for the minimization of unit-power in real-time.

abstract: Part of the work was done with Praxair Inc. and includes confidential company data. A nondisclosure agreement was signed. The thesis is to be restricted for at least five years.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Metal Ion-Promoted Leaving Group Assistance in the Solvolysis of Phosphate Esters, Amides, and Thioamides

contributor:
Brown, Robert Stanley
Chemistry

subject:
activation parameters
ethanolysis
solvent kinetic isotope effects
phosphate ester
catalysis
amide
leaving group assistance
thioamide
physical organic chemistry
hydrolysis
kinetics
methanolysis

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-26 21:34:44.331

abstract:
Toward the efficient solvolysis of phosphate esters and amides under mild conditions, many small-molecule metal-containing catalysts have been designed to activate the substrate toward metal-mediated nucleophilic addition. However, very few systems have been designed to also employ a metal ion to activate the leaving group (LG) toward departure. To this end, the following studies were undertaken to ascertain the magnitude and mechanism of metal ion-promoted leaving group assistance.

The solvolysis of a specially-designed set of phosphate mono-, di-, and triesters, having a Cu(II)-complexed 2-phenanthrolyl group at the ortho-position of a departing phenoxide, was studied in water and ethanol under pH-controlled conditions at 25 °C. A combination of pH/rate profiles, solvent deuterium kinetic isotope effect (DKIE) values, and activation parameters were collected and compared to the results in methanol. While a detailed comparison of the activation parameters reveals complex trends due to changes in the reaction medium, the rate-accelerating effects of the Cu(II)-promoted leaving group assistance in all three solvents are substantial, ranging from 10^5 to 10^15 relative to their background reactions.

The methanolysis of the Cu(II) complexes of a series of substituted N,N-bis(2-picolyl)benzamides was studied under sspH-controlled conditions at 25 °C. Hammett reaction constants, solvent DKIE values, activation parameters, and computational results describe a mechanism where the metal ion, coordinated to the N,N-bis(2-picolyl)amide unit, delivers a Cu(II)-coordinated methoxide to the carbonyl group in the rate-limiting transition state of the reaction. The metal ion appears to activate the substrate through coordination to the amide nitrogen, activate and deliver the nucleophile, and subsequently assist LG departure. Expanding upon this work revealed a common mechanism for the methanolysis and ethanolysis of the Ni(II), Zn(II), and Cu(II) complexes of
N,N-bis(2-picolyl)-p-nitrobenzamide and N,N-bis((1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)methyl)-p-nitrobenzamide. Comparing the rate constants for the attack of alkoxide on the M(II)-complexed 4 nitro-substituted benzamides to those for the uncomplexed forms reveals accelerations ranging from 10^14 to 10^19.

Finally, the palladacycle-promoted methanolysis of a series of thiobenzanilides with different LGs was studied under sspH-controlled conditions at 25 °C. The kinetic data indicate that two mechanisms are operative wherein either one or two catalysts effect cleavage depending on the nature of the LG.

abstract: PhD


title: A Study on the Power Production Potential of Parking Space Solar Shelters in Kingston, Ontario

subject:
Parking lot solar farms
Energy Production

abstract: The implementation of solar shelters over top of parking spaces has the potential to make the production of renewable energy a secondary function of parking lots without impeding their ability to function as parking locations. This has the capacity to reduce the amount of natural space converted to solar farms as solar energy becomes more common. In addition, if these shelters are outfitted as charging stations for electric vehicles, they could serve as a driver for a cultural shift towards a more sustainable vehicle fleet. Implementation of this technology has begun on a small scale in San Diego, California and this project assessed the feasibility of implementation in Kingston, Ontario. This study set out to determine how much energy could be produced by a solar shelter over one parking space and how many parking spaces would be required to produce 1% of Kingston’s total electricity consumption. An insolation model was written in C, which used past climate data and mathematical models to incorporate the effects of latitude, cloud cover and snow. This model was compared to the current production in San Diego to check for validity. Since the insolation model was deemed to be valid, the results were used in conjunction with typical solar panel efficiencies in Kingston to calculate the potential energy production per structure. This was then used to determine the number of structures that would be required to provide 1% of Kingston’s electricity. Through literature review, it was determined that although snow on the panels would have a drastic effect on power production, it would not remain on the panels long enough to cause a significant effect. It was found that a single parking space in Kingston would be capable of generating 5500±_800^1000  kWh/year using the single-axis tracking model that is currently being implemented in San Diego, although a dual-axis tracking model would be capable of generating 11% more energy. Using the current prototype, Kingston would require implementation across about 2750 parking spaces in order to provide 1% of its electricity and it has ample locations which would be suitable. However, due to the current $40,000 price tag per structure, the current buy-back period is about 55 years which makes the current technology not economically feasible without lowering the cost or increasing the efficiency.


title: Computationally Intensive Methods for Spectrum Estimation

contributor:
Takahara, Glen
Thomson, David J.
Mathematics and Statistics

subject:
Time Series
Spectrum Estimation

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mathematics & Statistics) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-27 14:03:57.757

abstract: Spectrum estimation is an essential technique for analyzing time series data. A leading method in the field of spectrum estimation is the multitaper method. The multitaper method has been applied to many scientific fields and has led to the development of new methods for detection signals and modeling periodic data. Within these methods there are open problems concerning parameter selection, signal detection rates, and signal estimation. The focus of this thesis is to address these problems by using techniques from statistical learning theory. This thesis presents three theoretical contributions for improving methods related to the multitaper spectrum estimation method: (1) two hypothesis testing procedures for evaluating the choice of time-bandwidth, NW, and number of tapers, K, parameters for the multitaper method, (2) a bootstrapping procedure for improving the signal detection rates for the F-test for line components, and (3) cross-validation, boosting, and bootstrapping methods for improving the performance of the inverse Fourier transform periodic data estimation method resulting from the F-test. We additionally present two applied contributions: (1) a new atrial signal extraction method for electrocardiogram data, and (2) four new methods for analyzing, modeling, and reporting on hockey game play at the Major Junior level.

abstract: PhD


title: Assessing the Relative Influence of Nitrogen Deposition and Regional  Warming on Scaled Chrysophytes in Lakes Downwind of the Athabasca Oil Sands Region, Canada

contributor:
Cumming, Brian F.
Biology

subject:
Regional Warming
Athabasca Oil Sands Region
Scaled Chrysophytes
Nitrogen Deposition

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-27 11:20:35.527

abstract:
Freshwater systems in Boreal regions are potentially threatened by a number of environmental stressors, such as point and non-point source pollutants from industrial development and climate change. In northeast Alberta, industrial activity in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region (AOSR) threatens nearby lakes, and potentially lakes downwind. In the late- 1990’s rapid annual increases in the mining of bitumen occurred, with corresponding increases in emissions of sulphur and nitrogen oxides. Recent paleolimnological studies have provided indications of increased primary production in a number of lakes in Alberta and northwest Saskatchewan. Several studies in other regions have linked deposition of reactive nitrogen (Nr) to nutrient enrichment of freshwater ecosystems, and a potential increase in primary producers. However, due to regional warming, the degree to which deposition of Nr to lakes downwind of the AOSR influences primary producers remains unknown.
I investigated the relative influence of climate change and enhanced Nr deposition on scaled-chrysophyte production in northwest Saskatchewan lakes. To disentangle the influence of the two stressors, a paleolimnological assessment of 16 lakes was undertaken. Reference and impact lakes with respect to Nr deposition were chosen, and nutrient limitation was integrated into the study design to identify lake sensitivity to Nr deposition (N or P or co-limited). Scaled- chrysophyte assemblages were dominated by the taxon Mallomonas crassisquama, and little change occurred in species assemblages since ca 1900. However, recent (post ca 1980) increases in total chrysophyte abundance in cores from both reference and impact sites suggested a regional stressor (i.e. climate) as a driving factor. However, because of the low number of study lakes and small lake environmental gradient, the number of study sites was increased to 26 to further understand chrysophyte response to warming in the region. Breakpoint analysis on scale-ii to-diatom ratio time series indicated that shallower sites responded earlier than deeper sites. A canonical variate analysis also suggested that the magnitude of response is also lake specific, with low nutrient and deeper lakes showing larger increases in chrysophyte abundance. The results from this study suggest that a) widespread changes in chrysophyte populations are occurring in this region likely in response to warming and its effects on the thermal structure of lakes, and b) physical and chemical characteristics of lakes are important in modulating ecological change.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Synthesis of Ni(dppe)2 and Nickel (I) Catalysts and their Ability to Catalyzed Cross-Coupling

contributor:
Baird, Michael C.
Chemistry

subject:
synthesis of nickel complexes
Nickel cross-coupling

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-27 13:04:24.876

abstract: Nickel catalysts play a growing role in effecting a variety of cross-coupling reactions in which carbon-carbon bonds are formed. Nickel compounds have several advantages over more frequently used palladium analogues, including the ability to activate aliphatic electrophiles and to avoid β-hydrogen elimination by alkyl-metal intermediates. Both Ni(II) and Ni(0) precursors are commonly utilized, with the latter oxidation state often believed to function as the catalytically active species. In recent years, however, a number of Ni(I) compounds have also been reported to behave as apparent catalysts and, since Ni(0) and Ni(I) compounds may be readily interconvertible, it is not always clear which oxidation state forms the actual catalyst in any particular cross-coupling reaction. Ni(0) was synthesised using a zinc reduction and analyzed by NMR spectroscopy. Ni(I) was produced using comproportionation reaction and analyzed with elemental analysis. This thesis describes an investigation in which we compare Ni(0), Ni(I) and Ni(II) complexes containing phosphine and halide (Cl-, Br-, I-) ligands , in this case 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane (dppe) for their abilities to effect e.g. Buchwald-Hartwig Amination, Heck-Mizoroki and Suzuki-Miyaura reactions with different types of substrates.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: ofChorus: Positioning a Co-Curricular Choir within a Faculty of Education

subject: Choir Singing Co-Curricular Education Well-Being Community Inclusivity

abstract: ofChorus was a co-curricular choir established in September 2014, at the Queen's University Faculty of Education in which anyone at the Faculty could participate. In order to ensure the opportunity to participate was made available to as many Faculty of Education community members as possible, no previous musical training or singing experience was required and no auditions were held. Membership in ofChorus did not hinge on attending each and every rehearsal, as the academic demands of the pre-service teaching and graduate programs to not permit much leisure time. Members attended as many or as few rehearsals as they wished in order to maintain a healthy work-life balance. To promote the notion that singing and making music truly are for everyone, the repertoire we engaged with reflected the diversity of Canadian society, with a focus on new arrangements of Canadian content. In its inaugural year, ofChorus performed four times, recorded nine pieces, three of which were composed and arranged by its members. This document describes the process of creating ofChorus. It explores the curricular objectives for ofChorus, those of well-being, inclusivity, teaching and learning, social justice. Also included in this document, are a discussion of how ofChorus activated community within the choir itself and the Faculty of Education, as well as description of the routines and structure of ofChorus (i.e., scheduling, rehearsals, arrangements performances and recordings). This document provides teachers and choral directors with an example of how to run a co-curricular or community choir.


title: Meeting the Needs of Adult Learners in a Faculty of Education Careers Curriculum

subject:
Career Curriculum
Post Secondary
Adult Education
Online Learning
Curriculum Design
Understanding by Design

abstract: Adult learners are a discrete population with specific needs and characteristics. The context of this project is a Career Services office in a Faculty of Education at a Local University [pseudonym]. The office serves a population of students from various programs within the Faculty, with the majority of students enrolled in the Bachelor of Education program. As a result of the current job market for teachers in Ontario and Canada, it is important to be able to communicate effectively with students to support them in their job searches. The purpose of this project was to identify the needs and characteristics of adult learners, and to identify ways that the current Career Services curriculum could be improved to better support adult learners. In order to engage this population of students, it is important to ensure that the content of the course addresses and meets their needs. To provide a more personalized learning environment, online resources were considered to allow students to participate more, providing a more convenient and suitable method of delivery for our intended audience, and a sample website was created to host the online resources. In addition, the entire Career Services curriculum was formalized by producing a curriculum document to outline the goals and outcomes of the program to ensure that the content will facilitate the achievement of those goals. What resulted is a hybrid, online and in-person program for Career Services, and a more robust curriculum that considers the needs of our adult learners.


title: Healthy Immigrants? Healthy Workers? High-Skilled Immigrants Working in Low-Skilled Jobs in Ottawa, Canada

contributor:
Rosenberg, Mark W.
Geography

subject: health immigrant

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Geography) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-27 14:23:35.274

abstract:
Immigrants play very important roles in maintaining demographic balance, cultural diversity and the economic prosperity of Canada, but new immigrants face challenges such as unemployment, underemployment, job insecurity, poverty and a poorer quality of life (Jackson, 2005). A significant number of foreign-trained skilled workers are employed in low-skilled service sector jobs in major Canadian cities (Creese & Wiebe, 2009). These workers tend to have elevated mental and physical health problems because of lower self-esteem and job dissatisfaction; extended hours of work with minimum wages; and job insecurity. They are generally sleep-deprived and are more likely to follow unhealthy behaviours and lifestyles. Therefore, the major objective of this thesis was to understand the role of work-related stress, job-dissatisfaction, health behaviours and lifestyle in determining mental and physical health status of immigrants working as taxi drivers, and convenience store or gas station workers in the city of Ottawa, Canada.
This thesis used a “sequential explanatory” mixed-methods approach of data collection and analysis (Creswell, 2009). Secondary data from the 2001 and 2010 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) and primary survey (n=146) and interview (n=19) data collected in the City of Ottawa in 2014 were analyzed to understand skilled immigrants’ mental and physical health status and their determinants. The findings of the research are organized into four chapters. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to understand the determinants of deteriorating health status of the general immigrant population in Canada and also to understand the predictors of mental and physical health status specific to skilled immigrants working in the city of Ottawa. The interview data were analyzed using a Grounded Theory (GT) approach to understand perceived work-related stress, social status and health status of high-skilled immigrants working in low-skilled jobs.
The findings reveal that skilled immigrants working in low-skilled jobs have a higher level of work-related stress, job dissatisfaction, and poor mental and physical health status. The findings contribute to the existing literature on the debates about the Healthy Immigrant Effect (HIE), Healthy Worker Effect (HWE) and broader immigration policy by exploring the health status of skilled immigrants working in low-skilled jobs.

abstract: PhD


subject:
Career Curriculum
Adult Education
Online Learning
Curriculum Design
Understanding By Design
Faculty of Education


title: Comparing the effectiveness of affective and cognitive messages for improving attitudes and intentions to take breaks from sitting at home and at work

contributor:
Lévesque, Lucie L.
LaBarge, Monica
Kinesiology and Health Studies

subject:
sedentary behaviour
breaks from sitting
affective
cognitive
Theory of Planned Behaviour
health messaging
message framing
social marketing
persuasion
matching effects
attitudes
intentions

abstract: Thesis (Master, Kinesiology & Health Studies) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-27 16:19:46.704

abstract:
There is a lack of evidence regarding the types of messages that are effective in combating the growing issue of sedentary behaviour among adults. The purpose of the study presented in this thesis was to test the effectiveness of affective, cognitive, and control messages for improving adults’ attitudes and intentions to take breaks from sitting at home and at work. The study also sought to understand whether a match or a mismatch between message type (affective, cognitive) and participant attitude basis (affective, cognitive) resulted in greater attitude change.
Two-hundred and ninety-one working adults were recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk. Participants completed a pre-message questionnaire that assessed leisure-time physical activity, sitting time and habit, break frequency, perceived behavioural control (PBC), social norms, intentions, and overall, structural, and meta-cognitive attitudes towards breaks from sitting at home and at work. Participants were then randomly assigned to one of three message conditions before completing the post-message questionnaire that reassessed all attitudes, intentions, PBC, and social norms, as well as need for affect and need for cognition. ANCOVAs and repeated-measures ANOVAs were used to explore differences between the conditions and domains, respectively. Regressions were used to test for matching/mismatching effects.
Study findings indicate that there was a significant difference between the affective and control conditions on intention change (home; p<0.05), such that participants in the affective condition showed significantly greater intention change (home) compared to participants in the control condition. There were no significant differences between the affective and control conditions on the remaining attitude and intention change variables (ps>0.05), nor any significant differences between the affective and cognitive conditions on any of the attitude and intention change variables (ps>0.05). In addition, there were no significant differences between domains in attitude or intention change (ps>0.05). Finally, regressions revealed a relative matching effect for attitudes (home), such that of participants with an affectively-based attitude, those exposed to an affective message had significantly greater positive attitude change compared to those exposed to a cognitive message (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference in attitude change (home) in response to the different messages in those with cognitively-based attitudes (p>0.05). No effects were found for attitudes (work; p>0.05). Future studies should test the impact of these messages on behaviour.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Rise of Rental: Encouraging the Development of Purpose-Built Rental Apartments Across Vancouver and Toronto

type:
thesis
working paper

subject:
Rental
Purpose-built
Rental apartments
rental housing

abstract: Since the mid-1980s the development of purpose-built rental housing has decreased significantly in favour of condominium development in major Canadian cities. One third of Canadians are renters, however, less than 10 per cent of new developments built in the last 15 years were rental units (Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation [CMHC], 2014a). Furthermore, first-time buyers are finding themselves priced out of ownership due to the increase in the land values across major cities. With a growing population, slow increases in income, and a limited new supply of purpose-built rental housing, the demand for modern rental housing has grown significantly. In a time where rental demand is at a 25-year high (Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario [FRPO], 2015), this report attempts to dig deeper into this trend in the purpose-built rental housing market, and determine the factors that contribute to this demand and what can be done to accommodate it. Specifically, this research identifies the challenges faced by providers of purpose-built rental apartments (investors and developers), and examines policies encouraging their construction, such as the Rental 100: Secured Market Rental Housing Policy in Vancouver which will be examined in terms of its success and transferability to a municipality such as Toronto.


title: Benders Decomposition-based Global Optimization for Natural Gas and Power Flow Systems

contributor:
Li, Xiang
Chemical Engineering

rights: Creative Commons - Attribution-Non-commercial-No Derivate Works - CC BY-NC-ND

subject:
Global Optimization
MINLP
Domain Reduction
Chemical Engineering
Natural Gas Systems
Pressure Flow Relation
Benders Decomposition
Large-scale Systems

abstract: Thesis (Master, Chemical Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-28 11:47:20.913

abstract:
Mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) framework has been attracting more and more attention since late last century. It can be applied to address various  process systems engineering problems, such as process design and operation, large-scale system scheduling, and supply chain management [19,42]. As a class of the many such problems, integrated design and operation of large-scale energy system is to determine both the network design decisions and the flows in operation to achieve the best expected profit, while meeting the customer demands and product specifications. It is well known that these integrated design and operation problems are nonconvex MINLPs, and therefore inherently difficult for which classical gradient-based optimization methods cannot guarantee an optimal solution. Decomposition-based methods have been used to achieve global optimal solutions for nonconvex MINLPs. One of the popular decomposition-based optimization methods is Benders decomposition. Its extensions, generalized Benders decomposition (GBD) [16] and nonconvex generalized Benders decomposition (NGBD) [27], can guarantee the convergence to a global optimum with mild assumptions.

In this thesis, our primary goal is to incorporate domain reduction into Benders decomposition-based global optimization methods for a class of large-scale energy systems that are MINLP problems with separable structure, which not only ensures a global optimum but also converges faster than the standard Benders decomposition-based methods and commercial global optimization solvers. The research objective is twofold. One is how to reduce the search domain and feasible region with a minimum amount of computation; to achieve this, the domain reduction methods based on convex nonlinear programming (NLP) relaxations [37] are extended to Benders decomposition-based methods. The other is customization of decomposition-based methods for large-scale energy systems; to demonstrate this, an integrated design and operation of natural gas production network problem that addresses gas flows, pressures and uncertainties is proposed with multi-loop NGBD, a customized Benders decomposition-based method that is faster than the regular method by at least an order of magnitude.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: Molecular and Biochemical Characterization of Sucrose Synthase from Developing Castor Oil Seeds

contributor:
Plaxton, William C.
Biology

subject:
Oil Seeds
Protein Phosphorylation
Sucrose Synthase
Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinases
Reversibly Glycosylated Polypeptide
Plant Biochemistry
Trehalose 6-Phosphate

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-27 23:39:16.757

abstract:
Sucrose synthase (SUS) is the major sucrolytic enzyme of developing fruits,
seeds, and tubers responsible for establishing sink strength while allocating imported
photosynthate into specific biosynthetic pathways. While SUS has been implicated in
directly channeling imported sucrose into starch, xyloglucan, and cellulose biosynthesis,
comparatively little is known about its biochemical properties or role in supporting
triacylglycerol biosynthesis in developing oil seeds. This thesis examines SUS in the oil-rich
endosperm of developing castor oil seeds (Ricinus communis L.). The dominant SUS
isozyme from developing endosperm was purified and identified via LC MS/MS as
RcSUS1, one of five predicted SUS isozymes encoded by the castor genome.
Immunological studies using phosphosite specific antibodies revealed that RcSUS1 is
highly phosphorylated at Ser11 during early seed development. The ~10% of RcSUS1 that
associates with microsomal membranes was hypophosphorylated relative to its cytosolic
counterpart. However, Ser11 phosphorylation affected neither RcSUS1 microsomal
association nor its kinetic properties. Instead, decreased Ser11 phosphorylation preceded a
marked decline in RcSUS1 activity and polypeptide levels during seed maturation or
following sucrose supply removal, suggesting that it triggers its proteolytic turnover. The
Ca2+-dependent protein kinase that catalyzes RcSUS1 Ser11 phosphorylation in the
developing endosperm was highly purified, thoroughly characterized, and identified as
RcCDPK2. Recombinant RcCDPK2 effectively phosphorylated RcSUS1 and its
corresponding dephosphopeptide at Ser11. The SUS interactome of developing castor
endosperm was assessed via co-immunopurification with anti-RcSUS1-IgG. A 41-kDa
polypeptide that co-immunopurified with RcSUS1 was identified as reversibly glycosylated polypeptide 1 (RcRGP1). RcRGP1 was in vivo phosphorylated at Tyr40,
Thr165, and Thr338. It is hypothesized that RcSUS1 forms a metabolon with RcRGP1,
channeling UDPG directly into hemicellulose and/or glycoprotein/glycolipid
biosynthesis. Sucrolytic activity of RcSUS1 was allosterically inhibited by trehalose 6-phosphate (T6P) (I50 ~ 200 μM), the first observation of its kind. In plants, T6P is a key
signaling metabolite that acts as both a signal and negative feedback regulator of sucrose
levels. Feedback inhibition of RcSUS1 by T6P is hypothesized to help regulate sink
strength while playing a role in T6P homeostasis. Collective results of this thesis
contribute to our understanding of oil seed SUS while identifying novel mechanisms by
which phosphorylation and T6P signaling may control SUS activity.

abstract: Several of my thesis chapters are currently unpublished but are being prepared for publication, and the premature dissemination of the data could result in being scooped.

abstract: PhD


title: Optimization and Purification of Cadmium Sulfide Quantum Dots Biosynthesized by the Fungus Fusarium Oxysporum

contributor:
Lefebvre, Daniel D.
Biology

subject:
Quantum Dots
Fusarium Oxysporum
Mycosynthesis
Biosynthesis

abstract: Thesis (Master, Biology) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-28 09:45:47.688

abstract: Cadmium sulfide (CdS) quantum dots have been synthesized extracellularly by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum when treated with CdSO4 in aqueous conditions. The quantum dots produce an emission range primarily between 450 and 550 nm. Optimization into the production system reveals that quantum dots are more efficiently synthesized when F. oxysporum cultures are grown to stationary phase and exposed to 20% mycelial biomass per volume, a pH of 9, a salt stress concentration of 0.25 M, along with the addition of 15 mM of 3-MPA and 25 mM of NaBH4. Synthesis of quantum dots reached a maximum after approximately 5 days of reaction time (120 h). Investigations into the secondary stress metabolism of F.oxysporum suggest that triggering this pathway leads to a higher output of CdS quantum dots. A water and acetone purification technique shows that CdS quantum dots can be extracted successfully from biologically synthesized quantum dot samples and different ratios of water to acetone show purification of different sized quantum dots. The possible mechanisms for CdS quantum dot formation are discussed.

abstract: I would like to request that the thesis is restricted because my supervisor and I are going to be writing a paper and would like to keep the information restricted until after publication.

abstract: M.Sc.


contributor:
Ellis, Randy E.
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
biomechanics
directional statistics
kinematics

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-28 11:01:59.014

abstract:
Directional data can be represented as unit vectors. This representation defines a nonlinear geometry, in which directions can be considered as points on the unit sphere.  A consistent analysis of directional data would measure distances, calculate means, and describe variations along the surface of the sphere, rather than deviating from the surface using more common Euclidean measures.

Some nonlinear analysis methods developed for statistical shape models use a mapping from a nonlinear geometry to a linear tangent space, where familiar principal component analysis can be applied. In biomechanics, linear principal component analysis has been used to analyze directional motions encoded as high-dimensional points;
however, this approach does not account for the spherical structure of these data.

In this work, these concepts are combined in a novel motion analysis method, Nonlinear Analysis of Directional Motion. The method was applied to quasi-elliptical motions in a set of one-parameter simulations; it was also
applied to wrist circumduction of healthy subjects. The small-circle model, which fits circles smaller than the diameter of a sphere, was used as the comparative standard.

In simulation, the nonlinear method out-performed small-circle fitting using one component; this method also accurately captured the number of parameters of the data. Analyzing wrist circumduction, the method
produced a five-parameter model, with lower fitting error than the small-circle model after two components. Nonlinear directional analysis also described differences between clockwise and counter-clockwise senses of circumduction in these healthy subjects.

Nonlinear analysis of directional motion was demonstrated to provide an accurate model of circumduction with few parameters. This method may be useful for describing kinematic differences in any mechanism that has variable, multi-axial motion.

abstract: PhD


title: Constitutionality of Ontario Education Sector Bargaining

contributor:
Banks, Kevin
Kahana, Tsvi
Law

subject:
Constitution
Freedom of Association

abstract: Thesis (Master, Law) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-28 19:29:29.844

abstract:
At the time of writing, bargaining in Ontario’s education sector is governed under two regimes; The Putting Students First Act - legislation which imposed Collective Agreements across Ontario, and its successor legislation; The School Boards Collective Bargaining Act – which limits workers’ rights to choose who will represent them, and centralizes the bargaining process for some, while keeping it out of reach from others.
This paper examines the constitutionality of each regime under Canadian law having regard for the freedom of association, which is a protected right under Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms (the Charter), and the jurisprudence interpreting that right.
The author concludes that both regimes fail to pass constitutional muster. The Putting Students First Act violates the Charter by setting strict parameters on bargaining outcomes for the education sector, unilaterally changing working conditions during bargaining, and by imposing collective agreements which took away a unions’ ability to strike.
The School Boards Collective Bargaining Act violates the Charter by designating which unions can represent workers at the central bargaining table, by excluding small unions from central bargaining, and by denying parties the right to strike over certain types of bargaining disputes

abstract: LL.M.


title: A Well at Caere: Wells, Cisterns, and Ritual Practices in Etruria and Latium

contributor:
Colivicchi, Fabio
Classics

subject:
Ritual
Cisterns
Etruria
Latium
Etruscans
Closing Rituals
Vases
Latins
Caere
Wells
Religion

abstract: Thesis (Master, Classics) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-28 17:36:19.066

abstract: After the discovery of a series of vases at the bottom of a well system at Caere in an apparent ritual closing, this study sets out to determine whether or not this practice was widespread across Etruria and Latium, and what the practice could possibly mean. A catalogue of 80 wells were collected from archaeological reports and articles published over the past 100 years of wells and cisterns in Etruria and Latium; some very interesting similarities and differences can be noted between them and the Caere well system. It seems that the practice of ritual deposits in wells was indeed done across the two areas. There seems to be some uniformity of wells during the Roman Republican period: most are equipped with footrests, and there seems to be a deposit of vases in varying degrees of completeness at or near the bottom; also, certain types of materials seem to recur in each well like the presence of lead, knucklebones, and writing styli. It seems that the ritual deposits were in some cases used to close off a well or cistern as it is a conduit that exists between the living and the world below, and leaving it exposed could be dangerous to the living population.

abstract: I would like to expand upon this research in the near future and would like to not have the work available to the public at the moment until the full extent of the research is reached.

abstract: M.A.


title: A Bayesian Approach to Convergence Detection in Underground Excavations using LiDAR

contributor:
Marshall, Joshua A.
Mining Engineering

subject:
Bayesian
Mining
Ground control
indicators
Convergence
LiDAR

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mining Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-29 09:45:55.702

abstract: This thesis deals with the subject of convergence detection in underground excavations --- typically mining operations. Traditional methods for convergence monitoring involve operose surveying procedures that produce measurements in low density along a drift. The aim of this thesis is to introduce a novel convergence monitoring solution which extracts typical convergence features from point cloud scans in a drift. These features are extracted by convergence indicators. These indicators are amalgamated using a Bayesian statistical approach to build an inference about whether or not convergence is occurring. This algorithm was tested on simulated as well as actual mining convergence drift scans.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: A TECHNOLOGY-ENHANCED INQUIRY-BASED CHEMISTRY CURRICULUM UNIT (ACIDS & BASES) DESIGNED TO INCREASE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ INTEREST IN STEM FIELDS AND STEM-RELATED CAREERS

subject: STEM Technology

abstract:
Although a strong Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education offers a pathway to a brighter future, opening up a wide range of interesting and exciting career opportunities, more than 50% of Canadian students do not complete the Grades 11 and 12 Mathematics and Science courses that allow them access to post-secondary STEM programs, apprenticeships, or entry- level employment positions (Amgen Canada Inc. & Let’s Talk Science, 2013). Therefore, it is vital to develop interest in STEM and enhance engagement in STEM areas at high school for students to build the strong foundation that is necessary to pursue advanced studies in STEM and participate in a future STEM-based workforce (Christensen, Knezek, & Tyler-Wood, 2014).
The purpose of this project was to develop a chemistry unit that demonstrates how content, pedagogy, and technology can be integrated to encourage study and careers in STEM.  Using Ralph Tyler’s rationale (Tyler, 1949), backward design model (Wiggins & McTighe, 2011), constructivist views of teaching and learning (Kalpana, 2014), and the most advanced technological lab tools; the unit was developed to provide an implementable resource for teachers wanting to use inquiry-based activities in a high-tech environment. Ongoing formative assessment as students learn and for students to learn is emphasized throughout the unit using authentic lab activities that pique students’ interest in chemistry and support the development of a realistic vision of a STEM future that includes themselves.


title: Attenuation of morphine tolerance, reward, and spinal gliosis in neuropathic pain by ultra-low dose alpha2-adrenergic antagonists

contributor:
Cahill, Catherine M.
Olmstead, Mary C.
Pharmacology and Toxicology

subject:
Ultra-low dose
tolerance
Neuropathic pain
Reward
Opioid
Gliosis
Adrenergic antagonists

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Pharmacology & Toxicology) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-28 15:14:43.102

abstract:
Aims: To determine the effects of ULD α2-AR antagonists on: i) sensory responses in morphine tolerant and nerve injured rats, ii) chronic morphine and nerve-injury induced spinal gliosis and neuronal activation, iii) morphine conditioned place preference (CPP), a paradigm that assesses the affective or emotional component of pain processing.
Methods & Results: In a model of opioid tolerance, ULD atipamezole attenuated the loss of morphine antinociception in pain naïve rats, consistent with the literature. Next, a model of neuropathic pain (chronic constriction injury (CCI)) was employed and changes in responses to mechanical and thermal nociceptive stimuli were tracked over time. This was the first study to show positive effects of ULD α2-AR antagonists in alleviating pain hypersensitivity associated with nerve injury and attenuation of morphine tolerance in neuropathic animals.
Using immunohistochemistry, tissue collected from all the animals was labeled to determine if molecular changes correlated with the behavior induced by ULD atipamezole. Morphine and CCI-induced gliosis in the spinal dorsal horn were attenuated in animals chronically administered ULD atipamezole. Neuronal activity inferred by c-Fos cell counts was likewise attenuated in neuropathic animals. Finally, through the use of the CPP paradigm, it was shown ULD atipamezole is neither rewarding nor aversive on its own, but disrupts the development of morphine CPP in CCI animals, but not the sham or pain naïve animals. Currently, experimental evidence suggests a reduction in opioid reward in the neuropathic rats.
Conclusion: ULD α2-AR antagonist atipamezole inhibits morphine tolerance and enhances opioid analgesia in pain naïve and chronic pain states, alleviates the mechanical hypersensitivity following nerve injury, inhibits chronic morphine and nerve injury-induced glial and neuronal activation in the spinal dorsal horn, and disrupts opioid reward in chronic pain states.

abstract: PhD


title: Broken Circle: Urban Aboriginal Youth and the Drop-out Question

contributor:
Morcom, Lindsay
Education

subject:
Art
Education
Sharing Circle
Storytelling
Aboriginal
High School
Drop-Out
Colonization

abstract: Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-29 17:45:44.266

abstract:
Based on findings from the National Household Survey, Statistics Canada (2012) recently released a report indicating that slightly less than one-third of First Nations persons living off reserve (between the ages of 18-44) did not earn their secondary school diploma or equivalent. Given the lack of student voices found in existing studies (Schissel & Wortherspoon, 2003) and because of the concentration of urban Aboriginal persons in Sudbury (Statistics Canada: Aboriginal Conditions in Census Metropolitan Areas, 2005), this study focused on hearing from those voices in that area. Accordingly, this thesis explored how eight urban Aboriginal youth (18-29 years of age) perspectives can illuminate reasons for this problem and suggest some solutions to it.
Through the framework of Critical Race Theory (CRT) and Tribal Critical Race Theory (TribalCrit), I employ data analysis as a tool useful to further the interests of emancipating marginalized individuals from systems of oppression (e.g., discrimination against one’s gender, race, class, ethnicity, religion, mental/physical ability, and/or other social classifications; McMillan & Schumacher, 2010). CRT works to bare witness to the voices of marginalized groups and individuals on the basis of their race (Willis et al., 2007). Emerging from CRT is TribalCrit (Brayboy, 2005). This theoretical framework extends from a specialized focus on issues of race and is used to expose the workings of colonization on the lives of Aboriginal groups and individuals (Brayboy, 2005). The collection of data occurred in three phases: (a) artistic activity, (b) Sharing Circle, and (c) individual storytelling. Using thematic analysis, I coded the data and created a narrative from the participants’ perspectives. Results of this study illuminate the participants’
perceptions on their formal learning journey and their decision to leave school prior to graduation.

abstract: M.Ed.


title: Fuzzy Markov Chains and Experiments with FuzzRank, an Alternative to PageRank

contributor:
Dawes, Robin
Computing

subject:
Fuzzy Set Theory
PageRank
FuzzRank
Fuzzy Markov Chain

abstract: Thesis (Master, Computing) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-28 18:23:20.96

abstract:
The theory of Markov chains has been applied successfully in several situations, for example in the PageRank algorithm which powers Google search. In this thesis we study the foundations of fuzzy logic and Markov chains before introducing fuzzy Markov chains.

Fuzzy Markov chains were introduced in 1970 as an alternative to the usual Markov chains and have some interesting properties that may make them more desirable for some applications. We will consider some of these properties and see how they differ from the usual Markov chains. We will also study an application of fuzzy Markov chains called FuzzRank, a twist on the aforementioned PageRank algorithm used for web search. Finally, we will consider a further generalization of the fuzzy Markov chains where we allow some flexibility in the operations we use during matrix multiplication to compute our results.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: An Exploration of Rockfall Modelling through Game Engines

contributor: Geological Sciences and Geological Engineering

subject:
Geotechnical Modelling
Rockfall
Game Engine
Visualization

abstract: Thesis (Master, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-28 21:09:00.588

abstract:
The Railway Ground Hazards Research Project (RGHRP) was developed to study and mitigate geotechnical hazards affecting the Canadian railways. A specific target area for this project is the White Canyon area in southwestern British Columbia, where common rockfall events directly impact the railway corridor and pose a risk to railway operations and safety. Through this project, sequential high resolution LiDAR and photogrammetry datasets were collected in order to develop an understanding of these slope-related hazards.
A common method for slope hazard analysis is the use of rockfall simulation software to assess the hazard potential of a site. The rockfall data collected from the comparison of the scans was modelled using available rockfall simulation software packages, in an attempt to validate the assumed rockfall modelling parameters. Tests with available software packages identified three major limitations. The first concerns the use of coefficient of restitution values to generalize the energetics of rock-slope interaction in rockfall modelling and the inconsistencies associated with this. Second, there are significant limitations in visualization both during model setup and of the results of the models generated, as well as with the integration of these results with other applications.  Finally, these tools are something of a closed environment (a ‘black box’) in that the details of how they produce their results is not modifiable, and in some cases the mode in which they operate is not transparent.
In this thesis an attempt to address these issues using the Unity game engine is presented, the goal being to more fundamentally explore rockfall mechanics, and to utilize the high-resolution site data to as great a degree as possible. We demonstrate how these engines can be used to assist an engineer in their decision making process and new ways to handle simulation outputs so that these are easily analyzed and presented. In particular pairing the game engine with new data visualization methods.  The results show the high potential of game engines for use in geotechnical applications and present an exciting opportunity for future work on geotechnical modelling.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: A Study of the Initial Stages of Weathering of Red Dog Mine Waste

contributor:
Pickles, Christopher
Mining Engineering

subject:
Sulfidic Waste Rock
Oxidation
Red Dog Mine
Pyrite

abstract: Thesis (Master, Mining Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-28 21:54:30.638

abstract:
A major environmental issue in the mining industry is the acid rock drainage (ARD) produced when sulphidic minerals in the mine wastes are exposed to water and oxygen. The acidity of ARD can solubilize metals and metalloids which negatively impacts surrounding ecosystems, aquatic life, and human health. Pyrite is the most abundant metal sulphide and it is the main mineral that generates ARD from the Red Dog Mine wastes. The Red Dog Mine in Alaska, USA is an open-pit operation that extracts zinc and lead from a high-grade deposit. The high pyrite content of its waste rocks has produced a significant amount of ARD throughout the surrounding area.

The main factors in the generation of acid from the Red Dog Mine wastes were investigated. The effect of particle size, wetting and drying cycles, elevated temperature, and type of water were determined using pH, solution potential, and electrical conductivity as initial indicators. It was found that elevated temperature, when combined with continuous shaking, was the most effective in expediting the onset of acid generation. The conditions for acid generation in terms of pH and Eh were determined.

Shake flask oxidation tests were conducted to study the dissolution behaviours of lead from galena, zinc from sphalerite, and iron from pyrite during the initial stages of weathering of the Red Dog waste rock. Each metal behaved quite distinctly, with lead dissolving first, followed by zinc and then iron, although there was some overlap in behavior. Lead solubility was initially low and subsequently decreased over time which was attributed to the reduced solubility of lead at high sulphate concentrations. Sphalerite dissolved after galena and the zinc solubility continuously increased with time throughout the test. In the presence of soluble iron, the dissolution rate of sphalerite increased. The zinc concentration in the leachate exhibited a one-to-one correspondence with the sulphate content, indicating that the majority of the sulphate came from sphalerite. Iron was not detected in solution until about 40 days and was present at low concentrations. Experimental conditions and the theoretical model indicated the formation of ferrihydrite Fe(OH)3 at shorter weathering times (and hence low sulphate concentrations) and the formation of jarosite (KFe3+3(OH)6(SO4)2) at longer weathering times (and hence higher sulphate concentrations).

The effectiveness of natural phosphate rock (NPR) addition for treatment of the ARD produced from the accelerated oxidation of the Red Dog Mine wastes was investigated using the same shake flask experimental conditions. Although it was found that an application rate of 20% or higher was sufficient to neutralize the ARD, more detailed analysis of the leachates and weathered waste rocks is needed to confirm if there were any reductions in metals leaching and the speciation of any secondary precipitates that may have formed.

abstract: M.A.Sc.


title: The Function of Intestinal Afferent Neurons in Regulating Satiety During Health and Obesity

contributor:
Beyak, Michael J.
Biomedical and Molecular Sciences

subject:
DIO
Vagus nerve
CysLTs
GLP-1
Obesity
Electrophysiology
Body weight
appetite
Glucose
Diabetes
Satiety
Intestinal
GI
Satiety hormones

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Biomedical & Molecular Sciences) -- Queen's University, 2016-05-01 04:47:43.799

abstract:
Background and aim: Within the gastrointestinal tract, vagal afferents regulate satiety and food intake via chemical and mechanical mechanisms. Cysteinyl Leukotrienes (CysLTs) are lipid mediators that are believed to regulate food intake and body weight. However, the involvement of vagal afferents in this effect remains to be established. Conversely, Glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) is a satiety and incretin peptide hormone. The effect of obesity on GLP-1 mediated gut-brain signaling has yet to be investigated.
Since intestinal vagal afferents’ activity is reduced during obesity, it is intriguing to investigate their responses to GLP-1 in such conditions. Methods: Extracellular recordings were performed on intestinal afferents from normal C57Bl6, low fat fed (LFF), and high fat fed (HFF) mice. To examine the effect on
neuronal calcium signaling, calcium-imaging experiments were performed on isolated nodose ganglion neurons. Food intake experiments were conducted using LFF and HFF mice. Oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were carried out. Whole cell patch clamp recordings were performed on nodose ganglion neurons from A) normal C57Bl mice to test the effect of CysLTs on membrane excitability, B) LFF and HFF mice to examine GLP-1 effect on membrane excitability during obesity. c-Fos immunohistochemical techniques were performed to measure the level of neuronal activation in the brainstem of both LFF and HFF mice in response to Ex-4. Results: CysLTs increased intestinal afferent firing rate and
mechanosensitivity. In single nodose neuron experiments, CysLTs increased excitability. The GLP-1 agonist Ex-4 significantly decreased food intake in LFF but not HFF mice. However, Ex-4 markedly attenuated the rise in blood glucose in both LFF and HFF mice. The observed increase in nerve firing and mechanosensitivity following the application of GLP-1 and Ex-4 was abolished in HFF mice. Cell membrane excitability was significantly increased by Ex-4 in nodose from LFF but not HFF mice. Ex-4 significantly increased the number of activated neurons in the NTS area of LFF mice but not in their HFF
counterparts. Conclusion: The previous observations indicate that the role CysLTs play in regulating satiety is likely to be vagally mediated. Also that satiety, but not incretin, effects of GLP-1 are impaired during obesity.

abstract: PhD


title: Modelling Telomere Length Dynamics Subject to the Action of Telomerase

subject:
telomeres
chromosome biology
senescence
telomerase

abstract: Thesis (Master, Physics, Engineering Physics and Astronomy) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-29 12:10:40.725

abstract:
All eukaryotic organisms, single-celled or multi-celled, have linear chromosomes, and all linear chromosomes have telomeres at their ends. All eukaryotes have genes which code for the enzyme telomerase. These entities vary amongst species, but telomeres are always guanine rich tandem repeats of DNA, and telomerase always contains a complimentary strand of RNA. Telomeres are specialized structures at the end of linear chromosomes. Through the formation of t-loops and the binding of shelterin complexes, they make chromosomes structurally and chemically stable.

Due to the inability of DNA polymerase to fully replicate a chromosome during mitosis, in a process termed the end replication problem, each replicative event results in a shortened chromosome end. This shortening allows for telomeres to act as an intrinsic mitotic clock, a measure of a cell's generational age. After a fixed number of mitotic cycles, known as the Hayflick limit, a cell enters replicative senescence and ceases to divide.

The enzyme telomerase is a reverse transcriptase which enables and catalyzes the lengthening of chromosome ends by \emph{de novo} DNA synthesis. In healthy somatic and germ-line cells telomerase is absent, whereas in stem cells and the large majority of cancerous cells it is present.

In this thesis, we derive deterministic equations of motion from a chemical master equation which describe the behaviour of a cell population. They are a coupled finite set of first-order ordinary differential equations which incorporate mitosis, acute death, stem cell differentiation, telomerase activity, and apoptotic death. Their solutions allow for the derivation of characteristic functions which predict the number of cells, and average telomere length in a population of cells.

By modelling the dynamics of telomere shortening due to the end replication problem and telomere elongation via the action of telomerase, we investigate the relationship between aging and cancer. Specifically, we find that if the rate of telomerase is above a critical value it has the effect producing a population with a divergent number of cells. This unrestrained proliferation is one of the hallmarks of cancer. Further, consistent with some experiments, we find that telomerase can lead to shorter average telomere lengths.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: Negligible Effects of Acute Atomoxetine Administration on Visual Working Memory in the Macaque Monkey

contributor:
Paré, Martin
Neuroscience Studies

subject: nonhuman primate

subject: catecholamines

subject: working memory

subject: atomoxetine

subject: attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder

abstract: Thesis (Master, Neuroscience Studies) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-29 12:11:36.68

abstract:
Working memory (WM) is a basic cognitive process central to daily activities including communication and problem solving. This limited capacity system guides future behaviour through the short-term retention of information.
The neural basis of WM is thought to lie in the persistent activity of a network of prefrontal cortical neurons. This activity presents itself during the retention interval of behavioural tasks that probe WM and is reported to be influenced by catecholamines. Accordingly, catecholamine reuptake transporter inhibitors enhance neurotransmission of catecholamines and thus, are said to modulate WM performance. Atomoxetine (ATX) selectively inhibits the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine. Evidence of acute ATX effects on WM performance in healthy nonhuman primates or humans is currently lacking. Reports of ATX-induced improvements are equivocal because the majority of studies are sub chronic and the implemented tasks are often inadequate in their measure of WM.
Here we tested the acute effects of orally administered ATX on the performance of two female rhesus macaques in a delayed visual sequential comparison (VSC) task with a wide range of doses (0.03 – 3.0 mg/kg). This task reliably assesses both the limited capacity and short time interval of WM by implementing a memory load greater than 2 and a 1s retention interval. It is hypothesized that ATX improves WM performance on the delayed VSC task in a dose- and memory load-dependent manner.
Despite the reported contribution of catecholamines on cognition, there were no dose- or memory load-dependent effects observed on delayed VSC task performance following systemic ATX administration. In fact, all changes in performance were within the variability of the control data. While the findings failed to establish a role for catecholamines in WM, a potential modulatory role in motivation was revealed. An increase in task engagement was observed on the task, prompting the implementation of a visual progressive ratio task to further assess the potential motivational effects. These results reveal the need to re-evaluate the notion that catecholamines are capable of modulating WM and direct our attention to their contribution to motivation.

abstract: M.Sc.


title: The Uranium Mineralization of the Macusani District, Southeast Peru: Mineralogy, Geochemistry, Geochronology and Ore-Genetic Model.

subject:
uranium deposit
Macusani

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Geological Sciences & Geological Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-29 12:16:26.884

abstract:
Uranium mineralization of the Quenamari Meseta, Macusani District, SE Peru, is hosted by peraluminous, sillimanite-andalusite-muscovite-biotite rhyolites of the 12.3 - 6.8 Ma Macusani Formation of the Miocene-Pliocene Quenamari Group. The main ore mineral, meta-autunite, (Ca[(UO2)(PO4)]2(H2O)6-8), occurs in fractures in association with weeksite and hydrous Mn- and Fe-mineraloids. The absence of U4+ minerals, as well as any hydrothermal alteration associated with the U ore, strongly suggests that meta-autunite is the primary U mineral. LA-ICP-MS U-Th-Pa geochronology of the meta-autunite revealed that the main ore-forming events occurred at 69 ka, 130 ka and 314-317 ka, and probably at ca. 103-113 ka, 210 ka and 400 ka, all long after the last magmatic activity in the area. The obtained ages unambiguously relate U ore formation to low-temperature Quaternary processes. The δ18O and δ2H values of the mineralizing fluids, inferred from those of the meta-autunite, range from -21.7 ‰ to –12.2 ‰ and from -181 to -123 ‰, respectively, consistent with ore formation from low-temperature meteoric fluids.
The timing of ore formation, as well as the mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of meta-autunite and host rocks, such as REE patterns and alteration assemblages, suggests that U was leached from the glassy matrix of the rhyolites, transported by meteoric waters and precipitated as meta-autunite. The majority of known deposits are located on the upper walls of active fluvial canyons, which suggests that the geomorphological environment that is now focusing groundwater flow was also favourable for meta-autunite precipitation. Meta-autunite probably precipitated through the mixing of low-temperature fluids and interaction of the uranyl ion with Fe- and Mn-mineraloids.Thus, although the Macusani U deposits are volcanic-hosted, they differ radically from documented magmatic-hydrothermal systems.

abstract: PhD


title: Fault Detection and Classification in Automated Assembly Machines Using Machine Vision

contributor:
Surgenor, Brian W.
Mechanical and Materials Engineering

subject:
Machine Vision
Automated Assembly Machine
Fault Detection

abstract: Thesis (Ph.D, Mechanical and Materials Engineering) -- Queen's University, 2016-04-29 14:24:27.663

abstract:
Automated assembly machines operate continuously to achieve high production rates. Continuous operation increases the potential for faults, with subsequent machine downtime. Early fault detection can reduce the amount of downtime.  Traditional fault detection methods check for deviations from fixed threshold limits with multiple mechanical, optical and proximity sensors. The goal of this thesis was to develop and validate a machine vision inspection (MVI) system to detect and classify multiple faults using a single camera as a sensor.
An industrial automated O-ring assembly machine that places O-rings on to continuously moving plastic carriers at a rate of over 100 assemblies per minute was modified to serve as the test apparatus.  An industrial CCD camera with LED panel lights for illumination was used to acquire videos of the machine’s operation.  A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) with a Human-Machine Interface (HMI) allowed for the generation of faults in a controlled fashion.  Three MVI methods, based on from computer vision techniques available in the literature, were developed for this application.  The methods used features extracted from the videos to classify the machine’s condition.  The first method was based on Gaussian Mixture Models (GMMs), as originally used for real-time outdoor tracking of moving regions in image sequences.  The second method used an optical flow approach which was originally used for motion estimation in a video.  The third method was based on running average and morphological image processing, originally used for noise filtering in image sequences.
In order to provide a single metric to quantify relative performance, a Machine Vision Performance Index (MVPI) was developed with five measures of performance: accuracy, processing time, speed of response, robustness against noise, and ease of implementation.  On the basis of the calculated MVPI, it was concluded that the GMM-based method is the best of the three methods for this application.  This thesis has two main contributions: 1) validation that MVI can be used to detect and classify multiple faults using a single camera and 2) documentation on how computer vision techniques can be applied to the problem of fault detection and classification in assembly machines.

abstract: PhD